After The Fall
by LunaDoptera
Summary: Having a sibling can be both terrible and wonderful. Legend loves its sibling rivalries, but a like-minded sibling is one of the best things in the universe. Unless she happens to fight for the opposite site in a war that engulfs the galaxy. In this case, things might get complicated. SWTOR / KOTFE (alternating). Light-side Sith Inquisitor. Minor liberties with timeline and story.
1. Outlander

_Zakuul, 5 AEA_

"Arcann! Your reign of terror ends here. Never again shall you enslave and oppress the galaxy. Never again shall your ships darken the sky of our worlds. Never again shall your troops march through our cities in conquest."

A strange sound, not unlike a knock, tried to draw the attention of the young Sith, who promptly ignored it. Some things were too important to interrupt, and a good celebratory speech was certainly among them. Her head was spinning and her limbs didn't quite feel like her own. How much time had she lost to the Eternal Empire's siblings? Had it really been five years? Arcann had much to answer for, and this was only the start.

"You are beaten, your armies scattered. Justice has finally triumphed, and peace shall return to our lives. Jedi and Sith, soldiers and spies, Republic and Empire, free people from all parts of the galaxy – we stood together, against you, to say 'enough'."

The noise returned, louder this time. The Sith considered to check it out for a moment, but stopped herself and continued to stare at her target instead.

"This is why you fell in the end, and why your defeat was inevitable from the start. Not military superiority on our part, not even better tactics or clever tricks made the difference, but cooperation. Loyalty. Trust. You did never understand their importance, perhaps not even the very concept, therefore neglecting the most powerful forces in the galaxy. And now, with the end of your regime, the future is ours again. For freedo..."

The world exploded in a billion golden swirls. Lord Kallig finally turned away from the mirror, but had to close her eyes, virtually blinded by the brightness. When she opened them again, the brilliant gleam had condensed into the form of a person, who stood between her and the closed door, hands on her hips, head tilted, and a shimmer in her golden eyes that was one part lingering Force power, one part chagrin, one part worry, and a good portion of mirth. Kallig blinked, undaunted.

"Did your masters never teach you not to phase into a bathroom?" she asked coolly.

The newcomer threw her head back and laughed.

"No, strangely enough they didn't. This particular lesson must have slipped their minds. But I knocked. Twice. What in Ardor's depths were you doing here? Did you practise your victory speech, or what?"

Kallig nodded, satisfied that her efforts hadn't gone unnoticed. "Exactly. We don't know when we will defeat Arcann and his troops, so it's best to use any chance that we get to do so. It would be a shame to save the galaxy and find ourselves speechless, wouldn't it?"

"Right now, you are not speechless, but shirtless. There is a difference."

The Sith blinked and looked down, at her standard military underwear and the pack of kolto that she had meant to apply to some minor blaster burns. Most of them had already healed, and the kolto itself had thickened and dried up in some spots. She sighed.

"Well, I sort of..."

"... got carried away a little?"

"Apparently. Is there something you want, Lea?"

The Jedi rolled her eyes.

"Will a summary be sufficient, or do you want me to recite the full list? Honestly, sister? I want to hug you, again, because I missed you like crazy during the last years. I want to make sure that you are well, despite the ordeal you went through. Hells, I want to pinch you, to convince myself that you are really here and not just a figment of my imagination. I want to kick your ass for taking a risk back on Zakuul..."

"... a risk that I know you would have taken as well", Raven interrupted. "The sun reactor was close to levelling whole blocks of the city!"

"Not the point. But right now, in this very moment, I just want to use the bloody bathroom."

Kallig drew what was left of her countenance and pride around her like a shield, slipped into her robe and turned to leave. She stopped at the last moment.

"It's not my fault that your allies stole a shuttle with only one rest room. And watch your language. Don't you have some kind of obligation as a Jedi to be the archetypical hero now and then?"

The Jedi made a face that wasn't altogether in the handbook for studious Padawans.

"Archetypical hero? You mean leather shorts, nothing but raw meat for dinner, and an insatiable need to check for beasts and treasure in any and all caves that I encounter? No, thanks. And I am sure that two crazy Sith Lords, one rebellious native and one super killer machine droid in a damaged shuttle between the glittering city towers of Zakuul have more important things to worry about than my choice of words when I am a little on edge. Now, would you mind to leave? Please?"

Kallig knew when it was time for a controlled retreat. She took the remaining kolto and stepped out of the relative safety of the bathroom, back into the chaos and uncertainty that her life had transformed into. Still, it was better than most of the nightmares she had endured during the last five years. And when Lord Raven Moira Kallig, Darth Imperius, heir of Lord Kallig and Tulak Hord, former member of the Dark Council and veteran of Oricon and Yavin 4, reached the shuttle's bridge and took a ration bar from the supply packages that had conveniently come with the vehicle, she was relieved to find that no matter if past or present, and regardless of the manufacturer, military rations were still stale, badly flavoured, and generally inedible. Apparently, some things never changed.

It was a comforting thought.

* * *

How large was this angular robot-controlled city? Raven saw no end to the sea of towers. The stolen shuttle crossed streets and open places, but more and more appeared in the warm light of the Zakuulan sunset. She only hoped that its engines would hold. Koth seemed to be confident that it could carry them far enough, but she sensed worry in Lana. Kallig couldn't blame her. There was a faint smell of burning in the air, which didn't do much to calm her nerves. The moments of peace she had enjoyed after being saved by HK from an unhealthy skydiving trip and eating the first meal in years were lost and shattered by reality. Peace was a lie, after all. A planet full of enemies, the galaxy she had known in shambles, Vitiate, or Valkorion, or however the world-eating monster fancied calling itself, in her head... Raven closed her eyes and fought the bile that threatened to come up her throat.

Through passion, strength. Through strength, power.

Through passion, strength...

Somehow, it was more difficult than usual to draw power from her own fear. Still, panic or not, some things had to be done.

"Lea? Could I talk to you for a moment? In private?"

Something metallic cracked as the Jedi emerged from a pile of rubble that had previously formed vital ship components. The Zakuulan artillery had certainly not been kind to their shuttle.

"Sure. Can't really fix these things here, anyway."

Raven forced herself to be calm, at least until the door to the bridge had closed.

Through passion, strength… She gave up. Somehow, just looking into the golden eyes of her sister seemed to cost more strength than she could find within herself, regardless of how much fear, fury or frustration she tried to convert. It was likely best to just get it over with and face the consequences.

"Am I possessed?"

Raven cringed involuntary. Of all the ways to phrase the question, this was probably one of the worst. Well, blunt or not, she had made herself clear enough. Every little sound became unbearably loud as the universe itself seemed to freeze. The Sith held her breath and waited for the answer.

After what felt like eternity, but had likely been only moments, something warm touched her cheek, and Raven nearly jumped. When she looked up, she was relieved to see the calm in the Barsen'thor's face. Lea shook her head slightly, while holding her gaze steadily.

"You are not possessed. Neither by Vitiate, nor by anyone else. There is indeed something new within you, though, some kind of power. It's similar to the Sith spirits that you bound, just both weaker and stronger at the same time. I guess it is him, or what is left of him, but separated from your mind. A stowaway, if you will."

Lea smiled, but it was a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Similar to the passenger that I carried for a long time, but likely less benevolent."

Raven felther sister squeeze her own hand reassuringly. "You are still yourself. And while I won't pretend to understand his goals or motives, I'd bet my life on this: Possessing you is not Vitiate's goal."

She coughed slightly. "I'd still advise you to use caution around him, of course. Especially because quite a lot of the things he might tell you are likely to be true. That's what I'd do, at least, in his place, if I wanted to manipulate you."

Raven nodded, fully willing to heed the Jedi's advice as soon as her head stopped pounding. But pain or not, nothing could stop the warmth spreading through her chest.

Still herself.

She hadn't been so sure a minute ago, but now she sensed the truth of these few words. And this meant that there was , strength, power, victory, all of this could be achieved in time. The Force would free her, if she was willing to fight.

Lea cleared her throat. "Now that we have gotten this particular bantha off the floor, might I ask you a question? If you already knew that Vitirion or Valkoate made himself a little guest room in the back part of your brain, why in the galaxy did you undress in front of a mirror when applying kolto to your forearm?"

Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. Five years worth of a headache had apparently chosen this moment to start tormenting her. Hopefully, her uninvited guest had to suffer through it as well.

She cleared her throat. "Whatever he's planning, I don't think the former Emperor's main purpose here is checking out my underwear. Though, come to think of it, I might just curtain the mirror off before taking a shower. Assuming that we'll find a facility with a shower where nobody tries to shoot us. I don't think this vessel is equipped for longer journeys."

Lea just rolled her eyes.

"I'll pretend that this is not your greatest concern", she answered. "Come on, let's see if Mr. Vortena has found a way out of the city by now."

Raven followed her sister. From carbonite prison to fighting for her life in a hostile city… what a day. Perhaps she could find a blanket somewhere on this ship and get some sleep.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Carbonite Storage Secure Sector, 5 AEA_

The first thing Raven noticed was pain. Purest pain, plain and simple, that seemed to fill every single cell of her body. Did she even have a body? Was she still alive? She wasn't sure.

Then, suddenly, blinding white lights pierced the darkness around her. And there, was that a voice? Words started to filter through the thick layers of agony that clouded her mind. Thinking was difficult and made her head hurt even more.

"Don't try to move. You are dying."

Raven would have chuckled, but her voice didn't cooperate. The idea of moving was ridiculous. The level of pain she felt seemed appropriate for dying, though – it couldn't get much worse. Whose voice was it, anyway? There was something familiar about it…

"I may have your cure, but I'm not going to lie..."

Colour returned to Raven's world, way faster than she had anticipated. And she had been wrong – the agony she had felt ten seconds ago was nothing in comparison to the fire that burned inside her now.

"This will hurt."

Spots of colour and light flowed together and formed – a pistol? Without warning, gravity reclaimed her body, which was kind of bad because she was still unsure whether she was in possession of all her limbs or not. Some kind of surface closed in on her face with unsettling speed. Instinct overruled Raven's slow-moving thoughts and made her arms come up, stopped her from bashing her own head in. Somebody screamed, loudly.

One last wave of intense pain shot through her body, followed by relief. Raven blinked. The screams hadn't stopped… Realization hit her, and she closed her mouth. Blissful silence surrounded her for a moment, but now that her brain had started working properly, she suspected that laying on the ground would not help her. The young Sith struggled to her feet.

"That wasn't… quite so bad."

Blonde hair. Serene voice, despite the circumstances. Yellow eyes. Memory fiddled with its record cards and presented a name.

"Lana. You saved my life."

It was more a cough than anything, but Raven was glad that she managed. Her throat felt stiff, as if she had not spoken in years. Through passion, strength, this was the Sith code… With the passionate dislike she felt towards her carbonite prison, she'd surely be back to her old strength in no time. She focused on her rescuer. It was Lana, that much was certain, but there was something strange going on. Her face looked… different. Not much, but noticeable. And at her arm… was that a robotic hand? How long had she been imprisoned? Adapting to artificial limbs usually took some time…

"I spared you from dying this very instant. We still have quite a ways to go", Lana corrected.

Truer words had never been spoken. Luckily, her weapons were here, conveniently placed next to the carbonite chamber. Raven didn't inquire more about the Republic astromech that had come out of nowhere, because she was too busy catching her breath between avoiding enemy blaster fire and trying to keep up. Had her rescuer really called her 'last hope'? And what about the Empire and Republic? Raven hoped that she had only imagined the word 'fallen', but as she slowly regained some sort of awareness to the Force, she felt it herself – a massive shift in the balance of things. And the situation was only getting worse.

"We are not ready. Not for Vaylin."

Lana Beniko still kept her typical aura of calm confidence around her, but Raven swallowed when she saw the image. It was a face she knew, if only from her nightmares. If Vaylin was more than a figment of her imagination, then what else was true? What about her crew, her allies? Were they truly dead? Had the Imperial Citadel on Dromund Kaas fallen?

"Let's get you out of here. Hurry!"

Lana was right. There was no use in contemplating the fate of her friends now; they had to make haste if they didn't fancy a return trip to carbonite dreams – or worse. And Lord Kallig had just gotten used to breathing again. She wasn't about to give it up without a fight.

Raven followed the blonde Sith Lord, through masses of Skytroopers and blaster fire, hoping that this 'Koth' person did finally manage to pick them up. Preferably before her lung imploded.

* * *

"We have to keep moving."

Raven's lungs might protest, but the Sith forced her body to go on. She knew that Lana was right; she heard the alarms and felt that nightmare-come-true sorceress searching for her through the Force. Finally, they reached an elevator, and she appreciated the chance to catch her breath. Out of the corners of her eyes, Raven noticed Lana staring at her. If she was looking as bad as she felt, it was a wonder that the Minister of Sith Intelligence didn't start with CPR this very instant.

"What?" she asked, unable to find a more elaborate way to phrase the question.

"It's… good to see you."

Raven would have chuckled, but was still too low on oxygen to waste any. The situation was feeling a bit awkward.

"I have a million questions right now", she stated instead.

Lana sighed. "I know. The answers will have to wait."

Both Sith started to run again, though one considerably more curious and out of breath than the other.

* * *

Walker. Skytrooper. More troopers. And another walker. Raven heard her guardian's lightsaber sing as Lana cut her way through the opponents. One of her few brain cells that wasn't busy worrying made a note that the city they were fighting throughwas beautiful. There were secluded spaces with flowers of brilliant colours, exquisite fountains and serene little parks. She could have lost herself for hours in wandering the streets – at least if their inhabitants had stopped trying to kill her. With luck and some help from the Force, she had avoided further injuries till now, but it was getting harder to keep up.

"Fight through it!"

Her muscles were not cooperating any longer. With sheer force of will and Lana's help, Raven made it through the next door. Where was Koth? Was he okay?

Suddenly, something within her head seemed to explode, and Raven stared directly into the heart of a dying star. A massive burst of dark energy was sending ripples through the Force. What had Valkorion said? Vaylin had always been his favourite? The young Sith was starting to understand why. The very ground started to shake, and additional alarms sounded. Even the artificial lights blinked. Whatever the former Emperor's daughter had unleashed, it must have been massive.

"What's happening?"

Lana's answer mirrored Raven's own suspicions. "It's Vaylin! She'll bring the whole city crashing down on you if she has to!"

This cheery thought was interrupted by the timely chime of the comm link.

"Lana, are my scanners glitched? Did you just charge headfirst into a Skytrooper droid factory?"

This was getting better and better. Raven focused her anger and tried to call on the Force again. She wasn't nearly at full strength, but it was getting easier. Plus, she could breathe again without too much pain.

"We can handle a few droids. Come on!"

The comm beeped again. "That's my sister! Turn these soulless machines into scrap metal!"

Raven nearly fell over her own feet. It couldn't be… or had this particular horror also been a nightmare?

"Lea? Is that you?" she asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"Know any other sibling with suicidal rescues as a hobby? It's me."

"But I saw you die!"

"No, you just saw me get hit by Vitiate's Force blast while I was about to phase-walk. The experience was quite unpleasant, but it included a free trip through half of the galaxy, right up to the next nexus of suitably aligned Force energy. Luckily, enough of me arrived on Tython's surface for the Jedi healers to piece me back together, though it took them quite some time to do so."

Lana cleared her throat. "Could we focus, please?"

"Yes, what happened with the reactor?" Koth inquired, fear clearly audible in his voice.

Few things could have distracted Raven right now, but this did it.

"Vaylin happened!"

And Vaylin had been thorough. Explosions shook the building, electricity sparked, people were running in every direction. In the centre of it all, the dying star erupted its plasma over the scenery. It was smaller than her vision had led her to believe – Raven thanked the Force for this small mercy.

"Catastrophic reactor failure imminent", the computer voice stated calmly.

Who in their right mind would build a blasted sun reactor, anyway? Explosions were wrecking what was left of the controls. Was there still a chance to save anything from this fiasco?

"There is nothing we can do here. Let's go."

Lana echoed the assessment of the pessimistic half of Raven's brain down to the letter. Still, just running away and leaving thousands of civilians to their fate was wrong, even on a world full of enemies.

"Don't you dare!"

Predictably, Koth didn't share Lana's opinion. Well, he wasn't standing two steps away from the disaster zone, so suggesting heroics was a bit easier from his position. Raven massaged her forehead. It was time to be the hero, albeit a stupid one.

Somehow, Lana seemed to sense her intentions. Or she just knew her too well.

"We need to get you offworld, now!" she called, appealing to Raven's instinct of self preservation as well as her common sense. Unfortunately, those were just being overwritten by an instinctive and entirely unhealthy need to do good, no matter the cost. Well, Lord Kallig had never claimed to be completely sane.

"I won't save my own skin at the cost of others", she stated, as calmly as she could manage.

Her friend shook her head vigorously. "Do I have to remind you that you are Sith? Or has the carbonite poisoning affected your brain?"

Raven clenched her teeth.

"Fine. If I am to rule the galaxy, it will be with the most subjects, not the fewest", she grumbled, trying for a darker motivation. Or, like Theron would call it, 'more Sith-y'. Stars, where was the Republic agent? Was he still alive? Raven fought the panic and focused on the present instead. She had no time to deal with this now. The situation was bad enough on its own.

Resignation crept into Lana's voice.

"You better know what you are doing", she sighed.

Actually, Raven mused, while she was jumping over electric discharges, she didn't have a clue. She wasn't going to admit it, though.

* * *

About twenty Skytroopers later, she finally reached the electrical tower controls. But even after pressing the red emergency shutdown controls several times, the whole thing was still trying to detonate in her face.

"Enough! I'm taking you with me, whether you like it or not!" Lana exclaimed.

But it was too late for that. Outrunning the blast might have been possible at the beginning, but with the sun reactor this close to meltdown, Raven had only one option left. She drew her lightsaber and struck through the energy conduits before her, asking any and all well-meaning Force ghosts in range for their help. Energy hit her, again, and she was thrown backwards, but not before hearing what she had hoped for.

"Reactor shutdown sequence initiated," the synthetic voice declared.

Despite laying on the ground and feeling like being overrun by a charged and charging rancor, Raven smiled. The glow of the reactor core faded, and darkness spread as the power failed, but that didn't matter – the catastrophe had been averted.

She looked to Lana and reconsidered. Perhaps another detonation was imminent… The Sith's yellow eyes were glowing like the reactor a minute ago, obviously not impressed with the solution.

"Damn your stubbornness. You just gambled with the fate of the entire galaxy!"

The Sith Inquisitor stood up, adrenaline still flowing through her veins. The thrill of being alive making her grin despite the situation.

"You really thought you were going to lose me?" she smiled. "Come on, you thawed me out to achieve impossible things. This was just a little training session."

Lana just shook her head.

"Don't you start. Let's just go."

Despite her demeanour, Raven was positive that she had spotted the hint of a smile on Beniko's face as well.

* * *

Naturally, things didn't go as planned. Three minutes and what felt like three hundred Skytroopers later, Koth was nowhere to be seen. Maintenance issues, right… Raven followed Lana through a labyrinth of walkways, always hoping to hear Koth's voice announce pick-up coordinates, but fearing to see more Skytroopers or Vaylin running right into them instead. To make matters worse, she was also getting hungry.

"Almost there! Three more minutes!"

The Sith shook her head. Well, at least Koth was still alive. Predictably, more foes turned up this very moment. Lana frowned, clearly not happy with Vortena, the enemies, and the whole situation in general.

"Koth, we don't have three more minutes!" she shouted.

"Two and a half!"

Her sister's voice joined Koth's. "You can do this! We'll be with you shortly."

Raven hoped that they would hurry. Two guys in gold-brown armour were blocking their path, having jumped out of nowhere, and they were certainly not there to clue them in on Zakuul's most famous tourist destinations. Or the best restaurants. Stars, she would have given much for a simple Nerf burger right now. It felt as if she hadn't eaten in ages.

"Outlander! You are guilty of assassinating the Immortal Emperor, and of evading imprisonment!" the first one stated, with all the pride of a dutiful officer about to imprison Malgus the Betrayer.

The other soldier joined his colleague.

"We demand your immediate surrender!" he shouted, even louder than his friend.

Lana didn't seem to be amused.

"Knights of Zakuul," she explained, "a policing body under Vaylin's charge. Force sensitives."

Raven fought the urge to laugh, not out of courtesy, but because she didn't know whether she would be able to stop again if she started. Did those knights even listen to their own demands?

"If he's your Immortal Emperor, then how could I have killed him?" the Sith asked, careful to pronounce every word, hoping against all odds that the irony got through.

One long second passed. The two knights looked at each other. But confused or not, they didn't seem willing to let themselves be beaten by logic.

"You are a wanted fugitive! Surrender now!"

From there on, the situation deteriorated quickly. Well, Raven thought while evading another strike, at least they were now shouting 'fallen Emperor' instead of 'fallen Immortal Emperor'. Perhaps there was still hope for them.

With that thought still in her mind, Kallig asked Lana to spare the Knights. It wasn't really about public relations, as her companion commented cynically – killing the defenceless was just wrong. She might one day reconsider, should she ever face Vitiate in a similar fashion, but these men were only trying to follow their orders. Raven didn't want them to die for this.

* * *

"Vaylin!"

Hoping for one moment of peace and quiet was futile, Raven mused, while watching the walkway's elements fall into the depths before her. She was glad to be breathing again, but since she had been woken from one set of nightmares, she was stumbling through another without pause.

Now the dark sorceress and Eternal daughter had caught up with them. Time to see if she was immortal like her father.

"I don't know you. But you… I've seen you."

Vaylin's voice… Raven clenched her teeth. It had all the vibes of a honey-coated iron maiden – deceptively sweet, but sickly sticky and deadly without question. And apparently she liked to pose, like those famous tiny Alderaanian cats that had become so popular with many of the nobles. The Sith would have wagered anything that Vaylin also liked to play with her prey.

Lana stepped between them, lightsaber drawn.

"I'll hold her off as long as I can. The first chance you get – go", she ordered, determined yet grimly fatalistic. But Raven had finally had enough. Frozen, thawed, hunted, hurt, nearly melted down, shocked, threatened, with her world turned upside-down and a distracting hunger that gnawed on her insides… And now this ice princess, with a costume similar to those of the Coruscati Death-Day celebrations, dared to stand between her and freedom. Raven closed her eyes, and Darth Imperius opened them.

Through passion, strength. The Force would free them.

"I've been hunted long enough. I am not going anywhere", she stated, throwing each word at the universe itself and daring it to contradict her. Her blade ignited with its familiar hum, ready to cut through fate itself.

Calling Lana displeased would have been an understatement.

"You are impossible", she hissed, though Raven suspected it was more worry than fury.

Vaylin drew her own lightsaber, and as if on her mark, twenty-something Skytroopers readied their weapons. Well, simple tasks had always bored the Sith.

"Heads down, eyes open, run like hell!"

Both Koth's exclamation and the sound of roaring engines were among the most pleasant things that Raven had heard in ages. Without looking back, both Sith sprinted towards the shuttle, while its laser cannons covered their escape.

"Come on!" a familiar voice shouted over the noise. Apparently, her sister had made it as well.

Just as Raven was about to jump onto the shuttle, she sensed a Force wave behind her, and the ship rolled like it was hit by a giants' fist. Or giantess, as the case might be. She caught the edge of the gangway, but was unable to pull herself up – her lung hat picked the perfect moment to go on strike again.

A metallic hand picked her up unceremoniously and carried her to safety.

"Declaration: Meatbags can't fly."

It didn't matter that her vocal chords were still shocked by the impact, Raven thought, while staring at the sinister-looking droid with the almost cheery voice – she didn't know what to reply to this, anyway.

* * *

"Got a little engine trouble", Koth exclaimed in place of a greeting, but Raven didn't hear him. She was thoroughly distracted by a cry, a flash of gold and a not very serene Jedi who intended to squeeze her kidneys out of her nose.

"Love you too, sis", Raven croaked, and hid her face in the bushy mane that passed for Lea's hair as she felt moisture rise in her eyes. When she finally let go, the artillery fire had stopped. For the first time since her awakening from the carbonite tomb, Raven felther heart rate slow to almost normal levels.

She turned to the only person in the room she didn't know. Koth Vortena surprised her – he had a kind, but energetic aura around him, and seemed to laugh often. Somebody who enjoyed life, and keeping others alive, she added, wondering why he had agreed to this risky rescue mission. But that was a topic for later.

"Koth? Thank you for getting us out of there", she smiled, and Vortena returned it.

"Hey, it was nothing. Was curious if you were everything Lana and Lea said you were, and I had no better plans for today anyway", he answered with a chuckle.

Raven closed her eyes, realizing how tired she was, now that the adrenaline rush of fighting for her life was fading. She opened her mind to the Force, but recoiled, startled. The whole landscape of the Force, for lack of a better term, had changed. This was more than just a shift – it was the final proof for what she had been told, twice, by Valkorion, and by Lana. The Empire had all but fallen, and the Republic with it.

Tentatively, she reached out, searching for familiar remnants in the Force. She felt her sister's presence, as attuned to the light side as always, despite her antics and open emotions. There was Lana, calm and steady, her mastery of the dark side plain enough. Raven concentrated, dug deeper. What about her apprentices? She thought that she sensed Ashara, at least for a moment, but wherever the young Togruta was, she couldn't quite reach or locate her. And Xalek… she could feel an echo, of… pain? Regret? But the sensations were unclear and way too weak to act on. Besides, her options were quite limited at the moment.

Raven breathed deep and called on the Force again, trying to find the last person on her mental list. But she grasped nothing, found only the emptiness of deep space.

Memories flooded back, with painful clarity.

'Did it please you to kill him yourself?' Valkorion had asked her, within the vision, as she stood above her fallen ally, trying to pretend that it wasn't real. But she knew the truth, had it known back then. She just hadn't been able to believe it.

"Darth Marr is dead."

Raven nearly jumped when she heard her own voice. Somehow, speaking those words made it real, made the Empire's defeat official. Well, her ally had been the first and best defender of the Empire, after all. Imagining the red-armored Darth bowing to the leaders of Zakuul and negotiating terms of surrender was unthinkable.

"Yes", Lana nodded. "His absence has been felt by many."

"For quite some time, right?" Koth interrupted, while fiddling with the shuttle's controls. "It's going to be a short trip. Might want to start briefing your friend here on what's been going on the last five years."

Raven blinked as her brain tried to process what Vortena had just said, but she couldn't. She just couldn't. Yes, she had realized that some time had passed, but five years?

"Five years?"

Lord Kallig bent over as she felt icy realization flood her mind. Her stomach revolted. She turned, mouthed a short 'later' towards her sister, and fled towards the bathroom. She knew on an abstract level that she was under shock, but firmly believed that she didn't need any witnesses for a breakdown.

Through passion, strength. Through strength, power. Through power, victory.

She was still Sith. She could deal with this.

She had to.


	2. Child of the Empire

_Korriban Slave Camps, 18 BEA_

"And they lived happily ever after", the old man concluded. He tried to get up, but was all but forced down again by his rapt young audience.

"Please, Grandpa, tell us another story!" Red exclaimed.

"Yes, with a princess, and a prince", Star-Eye added.

Fur just roared, a Wookie term of encouragement. Raven looked around. None of the others seemed to be tired, despite the usual hard day's work in the Sith ruins. She looked at Grandpa and saw him smile. The old man wasn't their grandfather, of course, but he did what he could to shelter their little group from the wrath of the overseers, from infighting between the older slaves, and from bad dreams.

Red, Star-Eye, Fur, Green... children, all of them, most as young as Raven herself. Lekku was a bit older, but still interested in tales and legends. None of the other grown-ups seemed to like the fairy tales, though. It was only Grandpa and the young, on these quiet evenings in Korriban's red wastes.

The old man sighed, but continued to smile regardless.

"All right, all right. One more story... Once upon a time, there was a princess, with fair hair and eyes like Sullustan emeralds."

"Did she have beautiful clothes?" Red asked, eagerly.

Grandpa chuckled. "Yes, I suppose she had. A wonderful set of robes, which glittered in all colours that you can imagine. They were a gift from her parents, who ruled over a huge kingdom."

Fur roared, and Grandpa turned his head. "Yes, a kingdom with large woods, and high trees, perfect for climbing. Now, the princess' parents were always very busy, because watching over a kingdom takes much time."

"They hunted criminals and fought battles, didn't they?" Green interrupted.

Grandpa frowned. "Yes, they did, to preserve order, but that doesn't mean that they liked it. So, one beautiful day in late spring, the princess' parents were again busy dealing with some thing or another, when a silver hare appeared, right inside the palace gardens."

Raven cleared her throat.

"Did they love her?" she asked, tentatively. "The king and the queen, I mean. They loved their daughter, didn't they? Despite all their hard work and lack of time?"

Grandpa turned his head and held her gaze for a moment.

"They loved her, more than all the stars in the universe", he answered, with his kind smile warming his eyes. So Raven continued to listen to the story, mind at ease again. She ran with the silver hare through the woods of the world, discovered secret splendours of the sea, braved dangers and a diamond dragon, rescued a handsome prince and fought for her kingdom, until her eyelids grew heavy and she continued to search for the Star of Hope in her dreams.

* * *

"Slave! Careful with the shards! These are more worth than your entire filthy life!"

Raven ignored the overseer as she placed the artefacts on the research table. She knew from experience that he liked to shout, but was unlikely to really hurt her. Other Sith were more dangerous. Some of them seemed to enjoy inflicting pain for inane reasons, laughing at their victims' pain when they twisted and coiled in Force lightning. Raven tried to avoid those overseers whenever possible. It helped to be small, and to have a keen eye and a good memory for guard schedules. On most days, she succeeded in timing her return from the excavation sites correctly, and on those where here luck didn't hold, she usually managed to slip back to the tombs before she was discovered. There, in the shadows, where the howling of the wind merged with the ancient whispers of the dead, she could wait for a change of guards. Sure, the deeper tombs were dangerous, but the entrance areas were well guarded by droid forces. Raven knew that the Sith didn't offer them protection out of the goodness of their hearts – the droids were there to stop possible uprisings as well. Plus, slaves were a resource. Losing a group to a rampaging tuk'ata was costly, and therefore unacceptable.

The young girl turned and made her way back to the camp. Grandpa was already there, and he had brought a set of ration bars. The old man offered her two and sat down, eyes closed, enjoying a moment of peace.

Raven sat down as well, but remained vigilant as she monitored the Sith back at the research tables. The guards had changed again, and lightning cracked. There were no screams of pain, though, just one small cry of fear. Apparently it had been a show of force, not real punishment.

One thought wandered through her head, back and forth, and finally found its way to her tongue.

"Why do they do this, Grandpa? Why are they so mean?"

There was a long moment of silence. Just as Raven suspected that the old man had fallen asleep, Grandpa opened his eyes again, and smiled, albeit sadly.

"You know what they say, little bird. Korriban kills. Slaves die easily on this world, and the only ones to die more easily are the Sith. Korriban's sands are red with blood. But those Sith who die, they are the lucky ones. The Sith who survive... they also die, but on the inside. Little by little, they die, each and every day, and don't notice it, until they are cold as the stones in the tomb of Marka Ragnos, and as vicious as the tuk'ata that guard it."

Raven shook her head.

"It shouldn't be like this", she said. Grandpa sighed, and ruffled her black hair.

"I know, little bird, I know. But we won't change the course of Korriban's sun, nor will we change the nature of the Sith. We can only try to stay alive, and try not to hate them."

Raven looked up again.

"Why not hate them?" she asked, curious for his answer.

The old man didn't smile as he touched her cheek to make her look into his eyes.

"Because if we do this, we become like them", he answered, and his words became heavy. Raven pictured them falling onto Korriban's sands, like stones – if they had, they would have sunk in, through the blood-red sand, deeper, deeper, right into the heart of the planet.

"I don't want to become like them", she whispered. "I don't want to become cold like stone."

Grandpa nodded and put his hand on her shoulder in silent comfort.

"I know. Neither do I. And that's why it is important to pity them, and not to hate them. Even though it's difficult."

There was the crack of lightning again, and someone cried, out of pain this time. Raven rested her head at the old man's shoulder and tried to block her ears.

Pity, not hate...

But she couldn't. This evening, it was not her blood, but her tears that hit the sands of Korriban, as Raven tried to sleep, but couldn't. Too many thoughts were clouding her mind, and not one of them was pleasant.

* * *

 _Korriban, Valley of the Dark Lords, 18 BEA_

A cold wind was blowing over Korriban's open wastes. It caught itself between the mountain ranges with their dark, narrow fissures and the even darker doors to ancient depths, struggling and howling like a wild animal. Raven wondered whether the tombs had been designed to block all sunlight out, or if Horuset's beams were afraid to enter the hidden worlds with their forgotten mysteries. Granted, a few of the tombs had been explored and plundered, but the older and more terrible ones lay still undisturbed in the crimson sand.

Sometimes Sith with more courage than common sense did brave the dangers. Raven recalled that fortune was supposed to favour fools, but she knew for a fact that tuk'ata also favoured them, preferably the not-too-skinny ones. The results were never pretty.

The young girl tried to concentrate on the task at hand again. Their group was charged with cataloguing ancient engravings that could be spotted frequently on the smaller walls in the area. Two guards and five droids patrolled at random, the former visibly more concerned than the latter. All of them were trying to be clearly visible and loud enough to wake a snoring tauntaun, obviously hoping to scare beasts away and likely praying to all Sith spirits of the valley that no predator was desperate enough to challenge them or one of the slaves that they were guarding. Now and then, a Sith ventured past their little group, most often acolytes in robes which looked slightly too big for them. The young girl suspected that the majority didn't do it voluntarily, but was forced on some errand or another by a cruel master.

Memories rushed to her mind, of crackling energy in the evening and screams of pain and terror, and something in Raven's stomach clenched. Perhaps the tuk'ata infestation really had its good sides, she thought – one beast could tear down the other.

* * *

Noon came, but it didn't get any warmer. Did the ancient stones draw all of the sun's heat inwards and corrupted it until it became twisted, dark and cold like them? Raven shuddered involuntarily. She gratefully accepted one of the ration bars that the guards offered to their charges, and took some steps onto a small cliff that overlooked yet another part of the valley. She had already documented what little inscriptions could be found on a small obelisk next to her, but the plants growing around it had intrigued Raven enough to come back. They were small, well adapted to the harsh climate, and likely poisonous. And yet there was a kind of beauty to them. Raven watched as they swayed in the almost gentle breeze, masking Korriban's usual face of death and terror with a thin layer of yellow petals. The girl closed her eyes for a moment and dreamed of being far away, where silver hares roamed the wilds in place of black hounds, and where the ground was covered in green grass, not orange dust.

Suddenly, something made Raven open her eyes again. She could have sworn that there was no sound, no change at all in her immediate surroundings, but she was wildly awake now, heart pounding. A nightmare? Had she fallen asleep? Raven looked around her, but the other slaves were still close by, peacefully resting and eating.

Then she saw it, far away at the end of the valley, beyond her cliff. A Sith was fighting there, a girl who did not look much older than herself, but was armed with a training saber and held her own effortlessly against a massive tuk'ata. Sunlight shone on red hair as the girl struck a blow against the beast. But another tuk'ata, even larger than the first, was closing in on the fight. The Sith girl, too distracted by the battle at hand, didn't seem to notice its approach.

"Look out!"

Forgotten were the lightning and the pain, as Raven cried on top of her voice to warn the young fighter. The red-head jerked and evaded the lunging beast by inches, but faced two snarling embodiments of fury now. Raven knew what would happen next, had seen remnants of similar incidents far too often in the wastes. She also knew that she couldn't help, as she was far away and only armed with a half-eaten ration bar. And yet, out of reflex, she reached out with her hand, as if she could stop the beast by sheer force of will from devouring the Sith girl.

Raven wasn't entirely sure what happened then. The second tuk'ata lunged again, but stopped, jerking violently, as if caught by something on the ground. A hidden hole between the red stones, perhaps? The Sith didn't need another invitation, but rolled over and cut the distracted beast down with a single swipe of her blade. The other animal approached her, but did not fare better against cold steel than its companion. For a second, the Sith's gaze met Raven's, and the young girl could have sworn that the fighter nodded to her. Then, the girl with the copper hair was gone, again searching for whatever artefact that had brought her to the valley in the first place. Apparently she was not discouraged by a near-death experience in the slightest.

Raven shook her head, quite sure that she'd never understand the Sith.

As she continued with her work, though, the girl found it hard to focus on the ancient runes. When the second tuk'ata had charged the young Sith, Raven had suddenly imagined hearing its breath, vividly, and nearly felt its scaly hide under her fingers, just as she clenched her fist.

She dismissed the thought as vivid imagination, but the images continued to follow her for the rest of the day.

* * *

 _Dreshdae Lecture Hall, 17 BEA_

"I have what?"

Raven stared at the instructor, mouth open, too shocked to really comprehend what was happening. The Imperial officer frowned, but didn't get angry. The small part of Raven's brain that was still working normally suspected that her own reaction was likely a common one that he experienced frequently.

"You have reached high marks in the exams. Extraordinary high, in fact, given that you have had no formal education in your life", the officer explained.

Raven remained silent. During the last days, her usual chores had been replaced by a set of tests. Math, languages, some manual crafting, memory challenges… Whenever she thought that she was finally done, another examiner appeared and threw the next set of tasks at her.

The officer was checking his list again and shook his head.

"Some of it seems unbelievable, given your age and your upbringing in the slave camps. Where did you learn to count, not to speak of basic arithmetics?"

Raven coughed. "One of my usual duties consists of finding at least a certain number of inscriptions, most often different types at the same time. Failure to reach the goal means punishment, and collecting too many means higher chances of being maimed by beasts. You either learn fast, or not at all."

Adding and subtracting came easily, too, when knowing how to do so and memorizing time tables could save one from the more vicious overseers. But Raven didn't think that giving away her tactics would help her in the long run.

The Imperial tilted his head.

"True", he mused, "that sounds plausible enough. Strange that few other slaves learn to do so, if you think of it this way. But what about your language training? You translated a Huttese short story with hardly any errors. People wonder how this is possible."

Raven was starting to feel uncomfortable. Was this another test? Was he questioning her skills, or wondering if she had cheated somehow?

"Do the overseers doubt my ability to speak the language?" she asked. "Tinka me chasa hopoe ma booty na nolia."

The officer didn't seem to be surprised.

"They may indeed think that you know nothing, but they are clearly wrong", he commented. "Another slave taught you, right?"

Raven just nodded. She was still trying to somehow grasp and understand what she had been told earlier.

You will leave Korriban.

You will go to Ziost.

You will receive further education.

You will serve the Empire better by using your brain, not just your hands.

Just remembering all these orders made her head hurt.

"And of course copying runes and inscriptions all day made learning to read and write easier", the officer concluded. "It takes a clever and flexible brain, though, and help from the older slaves, of course."

Satisfied, he signed something on his datapad.

"Good, then we are finished here. You will be escorted to the shuttle landing pads tomorrow morning. You may bring what possessions you have, but you'll get new clothing and basic equipment on Ziost, anyway."

Ziost.

Leaving Korriban.

It should have been a reason to dance, to laugh, to cry in joy. But all Raven felt while staggering back to the slave camp like a sleepwalker was fear. The life on Korriban was hard and often enough miserable, but she knew the dangers of the red planet and had learned to avoid most of them. Plus, she had friends here. On Ziost, everything would be new, and she would be alone.

* * *

 _Korriban Slave Camps, 17 BEA_

"They are jealous, little bird. I know it's not fair."

Raven looked up, and frowned.

"But I don't want to go!" she exclaimed, trying to make at least Grandpa see her point of view. None of the other children had even bothered to listen to her. The old man sighed and hugged her, trying to provide what comfort he could.

"I know, Raven. You are afraid, and you have every right to be", he answered in his typical calm, warm voice. "But leaving Korriban means getting a chance at a new and better life. No tuk'ata that tries to eat you, no searches for urn shards in the desert sands…"

"No friends and no home", Raven countered. She did appreciate his efforts to cheer her up, but they were futile.

Grandpa regarded her thoughtfully.

"You will find yourself a new home, and new friends – I'm sure of it", he replied. "You have learned what you could from within your nest, little bird, no matter how stony it might have been. But to go on and live, you'll have to fly."

Raven breathed deep and nodded, not because she was convinced, but rather because she realized that she didn't have a choice.

* * *

Dawn came, as it always did, no matter how much one might fear it, and soon Raven stood at the edge of the camp. She wasn't truly ready, but it didn't matter. Imperial orders forced her to go, and all she could do was to follow them as best as she could, while trying not to stumble on the journey. She saw Lekku, standing some distance away from her. The Twi'lek waved hesitantly, a silent goodbye. None of the others were visible. Grandpa was already gone, busy on one of the early shifts in the Valley of the Dark Lords. They had said their goodbyes the evening before.

"Remember who you are", he had said. And as Raven turned and made her way to the shuttle without looking back, she resolved to do just that. One single red stone from Korriban was tucked away in her pocket, a final gift. The shallow contour of a raven was engraved on one side.

The Empire could force her to give up her home, her friends, her entire life, but she wouldn't let anybody change who she was. She would remember, always.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta, 16 BEA_

Raven disliked the giant People's Tower at the heart of New Adasta. Dark and gloomy, with red lights glowing somewhat sinisterly over whole sectors of the city, the tower didn't feel like a 'people' tower at all. It was more a reminder that in the Empire, all people were little more than servants. Or machines. Like ants, perhaps, in a massive metallic hill, driven not by pheromone trails, but fear. The only exception were the Sith, who stalked the streets with their characteristic aura of malevolence and arrogance, each a despot in his or her own little world, their lightsabers glowing as red as the tower's windows.

And here, she didn't even have a guard schedule at hand to avoid the worst of them. Raven cursed her luck as she spotted two Sith approaching, one male Sith Pureblood, the other a human woman. One of these warriors was bad enough, but two of them had the tendency to vie for new heights of cruelty. The younger ones were especially bad, since they constantly tried to convince others of their power – and possibly even themselves.

Raven ducked behind a bench and remained motionless, calming her breathing to the bare minimum. She didn't know for sure whether the Sith could really smell or feel fear, but wasn't about to take any chances. Raven closed her eyes and pictured Korriban's night sky, with the brown and red moons shining over the quiet landscape. It was one of the few memories of her old home that she cherished.

The young girl listened to the sound of approaching steps, but ignored them, just reciting the names of the moons inside her head.

Closer, closer…

Raven filled her mind with the emptiness between stars.

"Blasted Vowrawn. Those requirements are impossible to meet."

A male voice. The Pureblood.

The girl felt no emotion, just breathed quietly with the wind.

"I know." A chuckle. Female. "I could really use somebody to torture right now."

"It's quiet this morning. There should be some students around… I could have sworn that I saw one."

The Pureblood again.

Again, the steps. Closer.

Still closer… closer... nearly on top of her...

Then further away again.

Raven continued to visualize the moons, knowing that she wasn't safe yet.

"Over the street, there!"

Far away now, and fast.

The former Korriban slave lifted her head carefully as she heard the tell-tale sound of dark energy on flesh. Somebody screamed, and the two Sith laughed, delighted, mocking their victim's pain.

Then, silence, only broken by quiet sobs. Gone was the feeling of impending doom, replaced by the usual sense of hopeless despair.

Raven disliked the whole planet with a passion. With her origins on Korriban and knowing the casual cruelties going on there, this was really saying something about the cold world. At least on Korriban, some of the monsters were non-sentient beasts. On a more abstract level, this was indeed a point in favour of the red graveyard world.

The young girl straightened and approached the Sith's victim carefully. When she was close, she recognized his blue skin and red eyes in the darkness.

A Chiss student.

Raven couldn't care less which colour his skin was. Pink, green, blue, yellow, red, brown fur, she had seen it all on Korriban. She knelt down at his side.

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt you", she whispered, and swiftly checked his vitals. The pulse was steady, if a bit fast, and his eyes focused on her. He was still conscious, but only barely, and he definitely wasn't well.

"Pain…"

Raven wasn't able to speak Cheunh, but she could understand enough. The source of his suffering was obvious – burned tissue covered parts of his neck and upper chest. No time to lose, then. The young girl reached into her belt's pocket and took out her emergency medpac. While definitely no standard equipment for slaves, Raven was assigned to the Ministry of Logistics, and frequently had to work in the storage depots after her studies. This included checking all expiry dates on stimulants and medical equipment, and throwing away old ones – or keeping one or two of the discarded. It was probably illegal to do so, but after a less than pleasant encounter with a Sith, Raven didn't care.

She removed shreds of clothing as best as she could from the wound and applied kolto to the worst burns. Immediately, the Chiss's breathing eased and his red eyes focused on her.

"I have done what I can, but try to find a medic as soon as possible", Raven advised him. The student nodded.

"Thank you", he whispered, now in Basic. As she watched him leave, the young girl hoped that he wouldn't run into more Sith.

With a sigh, Raven turned and faced the People's Tower. It was time for her lessons. Computer sciences, languages, technical stuff, Imperial propaganda – there was quite a number of subjects, and Raven didn't intend to fail. She didn't dare to picture the repercussions if she did.

"Is this the human?"

Raven clenched her teeth. From her experience, nothing good ever followed such an introduction. With an ease that came from thorough practise, she calculated the speaker's position in relation to possible escape routes, potential weapons she could use, or guardian droids she could alert. There were always some of them stationed at the entrance of the warehouse she was currently working in. If she got enough of a head start, she could make it.

She whirled around, and stared into red eyes. No pupils. And blue skin.

Her flight-or-fight reflex was successfully overruled by her brain in time to prevent her from making a spectacle. Of all the people who could possibly harm her, Chiss were among the most unlikely to do so intentionally. They were outsiders in the Empire, just like her.

Still, it never hurt to be cautious.

"Is there something I can help you with?" asked Raven, carefully turning to face both of the two newcomers and leave herself a quick exit. The Chiss glanced at each other, then one took a step forward, right palm lifted in a universal gesture of good will.

"No, but perhaps we can help you, human student", he answered.

Raven blinked.

"What?" she blurted out, which was still rather eloquent, considering her confusion.

Help her? Nobody on this cold world had ever wanted to help her. Instead, certain groups of people seemed to believe that 'slave' was another word for 'punching ball'. As a consequence, she was usually happy when people just ignored her and let her do her work.

The taller Chiss shook his head slightly. Raven wasn't used to Chiss body language, but she would have bet anything that it was a sign of impatience and, perhaps, pity.

"Zekha'dhara'norvesh", he said, as if this explained everything.

Which it didn't, at least not for Raven.

The other Chiss joined the one-sided discussion. "Adharan", he added. "His health is improving. The doctors said that your timely intervention helped immensely. Time is always a critical factor for this sort of wound."

Realization hit the young girl, and she blushed.

"Oh", she smiled, a little uncomfortably. "You mean the Chiss student who got hurt by two Sith a week ago? I'm sorry, I didn't ask for his name."

"You didn't even know his name, and yet risked being confronted by Sith yourself, just to ease his pain?" the first one asked incredulously.

Raven grimaced and scratched her neck. If he put it this way, it sounded pretty idiotic.

"It was the right thing to to", she said defensively, eager to end the whole discussion.

The second Chiss cleared his throat. "Adharan is our friend, our brother. You helped him, and now we offer you a way to help yourself. No tricks, no traps. Chiss honour."

"Knowledge", the first one continued. "Some information you won't find in your books. Slicing, decryption. Perhaps more."

He stared at her, and the gaze of his red eyes was piercing.

"You were ready to defend yourself against us a minute ago. Against Sith, you need other weapons. Knowledge, skills. Secrets. Or an overloaded console now and then, if all else fails."

Startled, Raven flinched.

"You propose treason", she whispered, scared, and nodded towards the security camera. But something made her pause, and look again. The camera's control lights were not active. The young girl was suddenly quite sure that it had been deactivated throughout their entire conversation.

The Chiss smiled, and lifted his datapad.

Slowly, very slowly, Raven started to smile, too.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta, 7 BEA_

Rain fell steadily onto the grey streets of New Adasta. It was relatively warm, though, at least for a day in late autumn. Raven didn't mind the weather as she walked towards the last station of her working shift. Just some more algorithms to fix and one console to recalibrate, and her work was done. If no emergency call came in, she would even have a full day off tomorrow. It was something to look forward to.

The young woman entered the Ministry of Logistics' office and started the first console, wondering what she was going to do the next day. She decided to visit her Chiss friends almost immediately – it had been more than a month since she had last seen them. Ministry work was certainly keeping her busy. Raven loaded the programs she needed and immersed herself in broken code. Sometimes she wondered where some of the Ministry's employees had learned their stuff. Or, more likely, who had threatened or bribed whom to guarantee some friend a cosy, well-paid job.

Time passed as Raven fought with the algorithms. She was vaguely aware of footsteps somewhere behind her, but didn't bother turning. The office was still full of people. Nobody would harm her here.

"I want this one."

Cold spread through Raven's chest as she quickly re-assessed the situation. She didn't fool herself into hoping that she wasn't the one spoken of – she knew better. She could nearly feel the speaker's gaze lingering on her back. It was not friendly.

"My lord, she's a valuable asset to the Ministry. Surely, somebody else will be sufficient to..."

Lieutenant Beanes' objection was cut short, likely by a minor force choke. Raven heard him gasp and then, after a second, breathe deeply.

"Don't forget your place, Lieutenant. I want this slave, and I'm not interested in your complains. Besides, she seems capable, and there is indeed a terminal of mine that needs repairs. Slave!"

Raven braced herself for the worst and turned around. Vibrant crimson eyes met her own, and it took all her willpower to stop herself from looking away. The speaker was a Sith Pureblood, as she had suspected, but it was more than genetics that coloured his eyes. The dark side of the Force had marked him thoroughly.

"Slave, report to my quarters in one hour. And take a shower. My rooms are clean, and I expect them to stay this way. Do not delay."

Raven bit her lips. This was wrong, simply wrong, that much was certain. It was also illegal. While there were few Imperial rules that actually protected slaves, there were laws against forced physical contacts. She cleaned her throat.

"If you wish me to repair a computer, I'd kindly ask you to file a request with the Ministry, my lord", she stated, with all the calm that she could master. There were rules, even for Sith. Even if her heart tried to explode in fear, this was something she had to remember.

"And if it is a more personal service you seek, I'd kindly ask you to go to the 'Golden Star'", she added, forcing her voice to cooperate, because rules could only protect if incidents were reported.

But when her throat was caught in a grip of dark energy and she found herself dangling in the air, she realized that the protection offered by rules was very weak indeed, if nobody but possible victims cared for them.

The Sith smiled. Raven would have preferred the grin of a tuk'ata.

"I like slaves with some spirit, but contradict me again, and I'll rip your tongue out", he stated calmly. "It would be a shame and limit my options, but you'd still be of use to me. Now, remember, one hour. Don't keep me waiting, slave."

The grip on her throat loosened, and Raven fell to the ground, coughing. When she had succeeded in blinking the tears away, the Sith was already gone. Only Lieutenant Beanes was still standing in the room – all other employees had fled the scene.

Raven looked to the officer, who was a little white around the nose.

"You know that this is wrong", she coughed, despite the ice in her veins. "You have heard it all, and you know the rules. Even the Empire frowns on rape, or whatever euphemism you might want to use instead. Are you going to help me? Are you going to report him?"

She knew the answer before he even opened his mouth.

"You have happily agreed to service Lord Tenevis in any capacity he requires", the Imperial officer answered, in a voice that was flat and bare of all emotions. "Here are the coordinates of his quarters. I'd suggest to make haste."

Disgust, fear, indignation, revulsion, some other emotion she couldn't even name. Raven's head felt too small all of a sudden. She straightened and stared at the officer.

"You have a daughter", she said, and her voice was strangely monotonous. "She is not a slave, but a doctor. Do you think that will save her, if any Sith takes a shine to her? Do you think they'll listen to her, because she is not a slave, or one of her relatives is in the military?"

She took one step towards the man.

"Perhaps you are lucky", she whispered, with all the malice she could master, "perhaps you'll never have to comfort your daughter after such an 'incident'. But if it happens, perhaps then you'll wish that somebody had reported it. Perhaps then you'd wish that the Empire would abide by its own laws."

Beanes didn't show any reaction at all. The part of Raven that was still clinging to logic wondered if he had even heard her.

"You know your assignment, slave", the officer said, and his face was as grey as the rainy streets of New Adasta.

* * *

Raven made haste, but she certainly didn't take a shower. Instead, she retrieved the more exotic parts of her slicing gear, and paid the basement of Tenevis' apartment block a visit. Forging the appropriate authorisation was child's play for her by now. On some level, the young woman was still under shock, but Korriban had taught her to think, run, or fight regardless. Since running was out of the question, her options were limited to thinking and fighting. And Raven chose to do both.

After some meditation on the sliced blueprints of the building, and after careful manipulations to the energy grit and conduits, she made her way to the Sith's coordinates. She allowed herself to feel both fear and disgust, and used it as a veil to hide her resolve. One medpac and an act of kindness, years ago, had given her access to unexpected skills, and now it was finally time to use them.

There were rules. And if the Sith chose to break them, he would face the consequences. Even if the results might prove to be fatal for herself.

* * *

Raven didn't need to knock as she reached Tenevis' apartment. The door opened on its own, and she entered immediately. Nothing could be gained by dragging this out, after all.

The young woman felt the comforting weight of the datapad in her hand as she faced the Sith. His red eyes literally shone through the gloomy room, as his body was pulsing with dark Force energy.

Raven took some carefully measured steps towards the computer console and concentrated on her fear while she started typing on her datapad. The first script – activated. The second script – online. Best to do this in the open; trying to hide her work would have been suspicious. She'd bet everything on the lord's arrogance, and lack of technical skills.

"Did you request my help with this computer, my lord?" she asked, while checking the conduits and her surroundings. There were curtains, and Imperial flags.

Flammable.

And there were two glass cabinets.

Breakable.

She heard steps behind her, but didn't need to turn to see the Sith. She could feel his aura, like cold radiating from the northern ice hills. Darkness embodied. It made her skin crawl.

"I don't require your computer skills", the lord growled, and Raven felt his grasp on her shoulder.

"Pity", she answered coldly, and pressed the last button.

For a moment, the universe itself seemed to hold its breath, then chaos reigned as the world exploded. Raven heard herself scream as bits of broken glass pierced her skin, but the only thing that mattered was the howl of the Sith, who had let go of her shoulder to shield himself from the first blast. The last thing that Raven saw before blacking out was Tenevis' form as he braced himself on the wall next to the console – right at the location of the final conduit that was about to blow.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta Hospital, 7 BEA_

Raven awakened to the smell of antiseptics. For a moment, she wondered where she was and how she got there, then memory hit and she groaned as the small movement made her face hurt like it was on fire. But pain was good. It meant that she was still alive.

She wondered whether the same was true for the Sith Lord.

Her movement stirred a medic, and soon she was floating on a sea of painkillers again. Raven just hoped that both the colourful stars and the flowing, fluid forms that filled her vision were a result of the medication. It was difficult to worry about anything right now, though, as she felt like she was sinking into warm Correlian cotton candy.

When Raven awakened again, her face was feeling better. Slowly, very slowly, she tried to sit. Nausea hit, but after some seconds of controlled breathing, the young woman succeeded in getting up. Memories floated back, and advised her against touching her face. Instead, she looked around, hoping for a mirror.

What she saw made her wish she hadn't done so. Her whole face was criss-crossed with wounds. From the looks of it, most if not all of them would scar. When she noticed the lines marring her neck and the skin around her eyes, she could only wonder why she hadn't bled out on the spot, or awoken blinded.

Raven closed her eyes again, waiting for the impending shock, but it didn't come. Instead, she felt satisfaction. Despite the cost, despite the pain, it had been worth it, if only for the memory of the Sith howling in terror.

Some days later, Raven was finally cleared to leave the hospital. Nobody hat even bothered to ask if she had noticed anything odd before the explosions in the Sith's apartment, and Raven was certainly not going to confess without being forced to do so. Lord Tenevis had survived and was leading a crusade against his enemies. Since three different factions of his rivals actually claimed to be responsible for the attack, he had every reason to do so.

The young woman shook her head. If some Sith killed each other over this incident, so be it. Some day, their entire society would self-destruct. She was sure of it.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta, 7 BEA_

Raven wandered aimlessly through the streets of New Adasta. She was still on medical leave, but the doctors had allowed her to walk around at least. Just sitting in the slaves' quarters made her feel restless. Nobody there had so much as commented on her absence, or her scars. Among the other slaves, she was the 'studying one'. She was left in peace, but wasn't one of them, and some injuries didn't change these facts.

The young woman changed her course as some vague feeling of unrest started to grow inside her. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but something made her worry for her Chiss allies. There were offices of the Chiss Ascendancy, just a short distance away, so Raven decided to humour her paranoia and check if everything was fine.

Just some seconds later, the screaming started. Common sense tried to make Raven turn and run away, but she abandoned it and hurried towards the centre of the chaos.

The scene which unfolded in front of her was a horrible mixture of past nightmares and present fears. Two Chiss lay in front of the building, unmoving, and a third was squirming in a mixture of air and Fore lightning. Five Sith stood in front of the building, four of them with their lightsabers drawn, the fifth shooting lightning from his fingers.

Raven recognized Tenevis. The lord seemed to be missing one eye and the better part of his nose, but that didn't stop him from using his Force powers. Among the others, one human female and one Sith Pureblood caught her eyes. Nearly a decade had passed since their not-quite-meeting that one morning when the Sith had searched for a victim to vent their frustration, but Raven still recognized them. The years had not been kind on them – their skin was now nearly white, and their eyes as red as their master's.

Like in trance, Raven stepped forward, towards the Sith Lord who was shouting accusations at the Chiss, about them being in league with a traitor, and towards the Sith apprentices, who were laughing and cheering without pause.

"Stop it", she said, wondering on some level whether she had gone completely mad without even noticing. Lord Tenevis turned his head and stared at her with his one remaining red eye. It was among the most ugly things she had seen in her life, including a variety of tuk'ata, tuk'ata victims, tuk'ata dung, and her own ruined face.

"Slave", he snarled. "Didn't I warn you not to contradict me again?"

Like a pack of hounds getting wind of new prey, the apprentices turned towards her as well. But Raven didn't care. Hatred was boiling up inside her, like lava that was finally breaking its way through solid rock. She had known fear, disgust, or anger, but this… this was new. Pure hatred washed away her self control, and a red haze clouded both her vision and her mind. Something made her hair stand on end, and Raven smelled ozone, but she didn't pay attention to anything but the Sith in front of her. When he lifted his hand, the young woman stepped forward slowly, as if dreaming. And when the Sith shot a ball of Force lightning at her, Raven just lifted her own hand, as if it was the most natural thing in the world – even though, logically speaking, it was likely the most insane thing instead.

Lightning hit her fingertips, but it didn't hurt her. It also didn't flow through her into the ground. Instead, the energy was reflected. Raven followed the glowing ball with her eyes as it hit Lord Tenevis right into his chest.

The Sith screamed and threw an arch of lightning towards her, but the red haze had now firmly engulfed the young woman and surrounded her body with energy of her own. Lightning arched again, backwards, hitting the lord with more power than before. Something flared before Raven's eyes as she reached out and cast her own beams of energy, first one, then two, then a multitude at the same time, each of them hitting one of the Sith before her.

Raven smelled burned flesh and realized that Tenevis didn't move any more, but she couldn't stop whatever it was that had been unleashed. Tendrils of pure energy surrounded her, flowed around her, and continued to hit the apprentices as well as the master. And there was no end to the horror. Waves of destruction now surged from her, leaving marks on the ground and devastated anything in her way.

Desperately Raven looked around, trying to find a way to stop, to end whatever was happening. But the five scorched corpses before her held no answers. She noticed guards, both sentient and droid forces, all of them crouched behind some form of cover. Most of the droids were firing their blasters at her, but nothing could hit her through the storm of energy.

Suddenly, she noticed something new within the chaos. An armoured figure closed in on her, steadily, despite the growing inferno. Raven sensed its approach the same way that one senses an icy wind on bare skin. Like fire backwards, cold darkness burned around the approaching form. It was impossible to distinguish whether the figure was human or non-human – there was nothing else in the world but the storm around her and the growing darkness.

"Help me", Raven mouthed, "stop it!"

She had no idea if the armoured being had heard her, but she saw movement, an outstretched hand… and then nothing more. As her mind slipped into blackness, she noticed that the crackling buzz of the energy storm had stopped. Relief made her smile for a moment, then she finally passed out.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta Hospital, 7 BEA_

Raven awakened.

Again.

She smelled antiseptics.

Again.

A small voice inside her own head asked the rest of her brain if it was too late to change her hobbies. Provoking Sith or holoball, decisions, decisions...

Provoking Sith... Stars.

What in the name of the Emperor had happened? Raven remembered Lord Tenevis, and the storm, and the cold darkness.

Why was she even alive?

Raven stared at her fingertips. There were no burns visible, no marks which could have indicated that anything out of the ordinary had happened. Had it all been a nightmare?

The young woman wasn't foolish enough to consider this possibility for more than a second.

Something happened outside the hospital room, even though she couldn't say why or how she knew it. Then the door opened, and a Sith stepped in, flanked by two guards. A Pureblood, quite old, with dark skin and red eyes. Power radiated from him, something cold, but not the all-engulfing freezing darkness of the armoured figure that she remembered from within the storm. He looked at her, and Raven thought she saw a twinkle in his eyes.

Well, she had hit her head pretty hard, so hallucinating about friendly Sith was likely nothing to be concerned about. At least she hoped so.

"Magnificent!" the Sith exclaimed. "Such an irony!"

He spread his arms as if to embrace the entire universe. There was even something on his face that had an uncanny resemblance to a genuine smile. The Pureblood made eye contact, obviously waiting for a reaction.

"Er", said Raven. She had thought it highly unlikely for the explosive storm incident to be a nightmare, but now she seriously considered to be dreaming.

The Pureblood tilted his head.

"Ah, don't you worry, we've all had our initial difficulties with the Force", he all but sang, then looked pointedly to one of his guards.

"And some starts were rustier than others, I dare say", he added cheerfully.

"Er", Raven repeated, hoping to wake up soon.

The Sith lifted one eyebrow. Or, rather, one bony protrusion above his eye.

"You are not regretting the deaths of Tenevis and the others, are you?", he asked, sceptically. "The man was becoming a liability. And he had definitely no sense of humour. Or fashion!"

He coughed. "Anyway, the deed is done. You got your vengeance, I get to choose a new hopeful Sith Lord from my Sphere, and Korriban gets a fine young acolyte, if your... outburst is any indication of your full potential."

The seemingly insane Pureblood all but jumped on the spot.

Raven didn't even find enough strength in her muscles to vocalize another 'er'. She just stared and tried to remember breathing. The Sith didn't seem to be discouraged by her lack of response, though. The young woman got the impression that he wasn't discouraged by anything short of a planetary explosion.

"The carnage around you! Marvellous! Five dead Sith on the ground, but you just kept going! Seriously, if my good colleague hadn't knocked you out, you would have continued and continued – I wonder for how long. The walls might have slowed you down, but other than that..."

One second of silence. Two. Raven shivered.

"What has happened?" she asked, and her voice was very small. "What will happen now?"

The Pureblood smiled, apparently satisfied that he finally got a reaction.

"You have been discovered to be Force sensitive, of course", he beamed, "and the law on Imperial planets is that all Force sensitives have to be trained as Sith. Yes, even slaves. Congratulations, young one, you have already succeeded in demonstrating the Sith code. Through victory, your chains were broken. The Force has freed you. You'll be taken to Korriban within the next month."

Korriban.

Force sensitive.

Freed.

Sith.

"Ah", said Raven, because the silence in the room got a little heavy. Then she started laughing. It was not the happy kind, but the type of hysterical laughter people usually try to avoid. What had Grandpa always said? It was important not to hate the Sith, because otherwise, she would become like them. While laughing, she carefully touched her cheek. Still warm, and not as cold as stone. Hopefully.

Memories surfaced, of the energy storm and the dark, cold figure. Raven's laughter died in her throat as slowly, very slowly, realization hit. She had been wrong all along, for it was indeed a nightmare. But unfortunately, she couldn't just wake up.

* * *

 _Ziost, New Adasta Spaceport, 6 BEA_

A cold wind blew through the streets of New Adasta, marked the change of seasons on Ziost and welcomed the new year with ice and frost. Snow crunched under Raven's feet as she made her way to the spaceport. She was alone. When she had tried to talk to some of the Chiss a week ago, they had run away screaming. Obviously, word of the Force storm incident had spread.

Raven blinked and blamed it on the weather. She wasn't sorry for the deaths of the five Sith, but it had not been her choice, either. She had wanted to stop them from tormenting the Chiss, but everything after that had been a blur, outside of her control.

She remembered her departure from Korriban, so long ago. The young woman reached into the pocket of her mauve neophyte robes and took the red stone with the engraved raven into her hand. Time had all but erased the shallow contours, but she still recognized them, knowing each scratch by heart. Back then, while leaving Korriban, she had vowed to remember who she was. In hindsight, this had been a little naïve, Raven mused. She had been a dreamer then, a curious child no older than seven years, who knew nothing beyond her usual life in the camps.

Raven closed her eyes and held her face into the wind, welcoming the cool air on her fresh scars. She smiled as she realized that she had kept her promise, mostly.

Raven put the stone back into her pocket. She knew Korriban and its dangers. The planet hadn't broken her back then, and it wouldn't break her now. The young woman had no illusions about the trials that were waiting. Korriban killed people, and Sith died even faster than the slaves. She might very well perish within the first week on the graveyard world. But death was not what she was afraid of. It was the cold. Grandpa had been wrong, she thought, for Sith were not cold like stone. They were even colder.

Another young woman was waiting at the hangar. She was clad in brown neophyte style robes, similar to Raven's, and looked as if she wanted to be far away. Her hair was as red as Korriban's sands, but her eyes were blue, and very large in her small, pale face. Raven tried to put on a friendly smile, but felt it slip into a grimace. She needed neither seer talents nor Force visions to predict the girl's future.

Finally, an overseer and some guard droids approached. The Sith checked their ID cards, ordered the other girl onto the ship, and looked to Raven, frowning.

"Raven?" she asked. "That's a slave's name."

The young woman tilted her head.

"Yes?" she answered carefully, not quite sure what the overseer was getting at. She had been a slave for most of her life, after all.

The overseer didn't seem to be one of the patient sort.

"You are a slave, filth, and don't you dare forget it", she hissed. "But if you are to play Sith, for days at most, until you find your gruesome end, then you will do it in style, and not drag down our noble order more than necessary by your sheer existence."

Raven blinked and looked at the door behind the Sith.

"Having a bad day, or is it just general frustration with your life?" she asked sweetly. "Babysitting slave acolytes, while other Sith do Sith stuff, you know, like fighting, ruling, enjoying life..."

The overseer's face reached an alarming shade of scarlet in record time.

"Enough", she screamed, and drew her lightsaber. The Sith might have even succeeded in cutting her down, Raven thought, but situational awareness was not one of her strengths – a Force blast sent her into the next wall.

The young acolyte bowed deeply to the newly-arrived Sith Lord. She recognized the dark-skinned Pureblood from before, with his red eyes and silver and gold jewellery that adorned his face.

"Enjoying life, indeed", he commented. His gaze had an inquisitive note, Raven thought, and wondered if she had gone too far.

"You were discussing names, young one?" the Sith Lord asked lightly.

Raven nodded.

"My name is Raven", she declared, with as much conviction as she could master. To her surprise, the overseer spoke up from the far end of the room.

"Her name is Raven", she echoed, in a voice that was strangely void of any emotion.

"Her name is Raven", the other acolyte repeated from within the ship.

Raven whirled around and gaped at them. Was this their idea of a joke?

The Pureblood Lord chuckled.

"Priceless, priceless indeed", he smiled. "You are a clever one, Raven. It's always good to know who you are, don't you think?"

He stared at her again, and the acolyte imagined his eyes piercing the depths of her soul.

"And you have a... fiery spirit", the old Sith stated, as he searched her face. "Perhaps we'll meet again. Remember: Through power, victory. Wield your power well, and nobody will be able to stop you."


	3. Korriban's Flame

_Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 30 BEA_

Victoria Kell was kneeling on the ground and contemplating dinner. Something tasty would be nice, and a bit variety to her usual diet couldn't hurt, either. Perhaps exoboar soup? After a moment, she rejected the idea, just as she had rejected the idea of orobird stew. While these menus were exotic enough, she wasn't particularly upset with her stomach, and certainly didn't fancy her stomach being angry with her.

Going into a restaurant and allowing the cooks to surprise her was out of the question as well. She had many enemies, and somebody who might track her wouldn't need more time to bribe somebody with access to the kitchen than it took a grazer steak to cook. Fast food was an option, though. As long as she could keep an eye on the seller, both physically and with the Force, she could detect any poison before it could harm her. Perhaps Ziostan Salt Jerky? Assuming, of course, that she survived this meeting. But if she did, she had earned herself some calories.

Victoria was well aware that thinking about food was not the typical behaviour of somebody who had been summoned to see a Dark Council member. She couldn't help it, though. Going over the whole situation again and evaluating her options had taken her about thirty seconds at best. If Darth Serpentis had summoned her to fight, she would fight back. If not, she wouldn't pick a fight on her own. Straightforward, really.

Slowly but unavoidably, her knees started to hurt. The Sith wondered why the leader of her pyramid of power was taking so long – it was the Darth's prerogative, of course, but trying to bore her to death wasn't what she had expected.

"Tell me what you feel."

It took all of Victoria's willpower not to jump at the sound of the old, raspy voice directly behind her. It was a test, had to be. But what was being tested?

She decided to stick to the truth, like most of the time. Since her times as an acolyte, she'd always preferred to fight a battle that she deserved instead of pretending something to avoid a conflict.

"Bored, and a little bit hungry", she answered, as calmly as she could manage. Her lightsaber was at her side, well within her reach. She didn't touch it, not wanting to escalate things on her own, but she was keenly aware of its comforting weight.

Something rustled, likely the Darth's robes. And there was another sound, like dry leaves cracking in the wind. It took Victoria some seconds to realize that Darth Serpentis was chuckling.

"Bored and hungry, that's a new one. You wouldn't believe what most acolytes, apprentices and even Sith Lords spout for a nonsense here. 'Oh mighty Darth, I feel elevated in your presence', 'just being allowed to kneel on this holy ground is a gift beyond measure', 'that you notice me at all is a sublime pleasure'…", the Darth whispered, her red eyes glowing. Victoria couldn't help but stare at her face. It was pale, scarred, showing the typical signs of dark side corruption, and so wrinkled that it reminded her of a dried, shrivelled sunrose hip. Or a dried Balmorran pumpkin lantern. On some instinctive level, she had always found these objects unsettling.

"It is 'Kell', like the dragon?" Serpentis asked. Victoria just nodded.

"It is a common name", she sighed. If she had gotten a thermal detonator each time somebody commented on her name, she could have destroyed the whole Republic on her own.

"Tell me now why you are here", the old woman continued. Was she goading her? Victoria decided to speed things up a bit.

"I am here because you summoned me, likely to answer for the death of my late master, Darth Scorpius", she answered, surprised as the old Darth chuckled again.

"Rise, young one. Now, tell me, how did Darth Scorpius die?"

Kell had known that this question would come all along. "He fell into the lava streams of Minak III and burned to death", she answered. "Surely this was also in the mission report?"

Red eyes burned in the darkness.

"Yes, Captain Sellak mentioned it", Serpentis returned, unmoved. "Is there anything you'd like to add to this report, Lord Kell?"

Victoria breathed deep and prepared for the worst. "Yes. As you well suspect, I threw the Darth into the molten rock when I got the chance to blame his death on the Republic."

There was no movement at all, Darth Serpentis just continued to hold her gaze.

"And why would you do such a thing, Lord Kell? Is it lust for power that motivates you?"

Victoria snorted.

"I don't need to steal a miserable life to prove my power. No, it was about revenge. Scorpius took credit for my victories one time too often, and when I protested, he tried to make me kneel and humiliate me."

The fury she had felt back then echoed still inside her. Kell felt her eyes starting to glow with the Force, but she didn't really care.

"And that was significant?" Serpentis asked. If Victoria was not mistaken, there was even a smile on her ruined face.

"You were kneeling just a second ago, too", the elder Sith reminded her. "What's the difference? Or are you already trying to locate the next volcano, here on Dromund Kaas?"

Victoria held her gaze steadily. "Scorpius was a pompous fool. He didn't deserve my loyalty, and he betrayed me. But what's most important is this – he wasn't strong enough to face the consequences."

"So what is it, then?" Serpentis whispered. "Why not confront me, like you did with your master? Or are you afraid?"

Victoria considered the question for a second.

"Yes", she answered finally, "but likely not only for the reasons you expect. You haven't forced my hand yet, and by fighting you, I can only lose. Either I die, or I help a rival ascend – or I ascend myself."

Darth Serpentis blinked, and Victoria felt the tell-tale tickle of someone probing her mind. Well, the old Sith was welcome to look – she had nothing to hide.

"You have no ambition to rule at all?" Genuine surprise coloured Serpentis' question.

Victoria shook her head. "You misunderstand. Of course I want to rule – I am Sith. But I will not play the part of glorified cleaning lady by governing a part of another one's empire. I am no steward. If I am to lead, it shall be as empress, and nothing less. Until then, I don't want to sit in a dusty chamber. The real life is out there, and more power can only be acquired by conquest, not through twirling one's thumbs."

Silence filled the chamber. But then, first quietly, then louder, Darth Serpentis laughed.

"You have me intrigued, young one", she smiled, not unlike those great jungle cats in the wild when they were pleased to see a tasty snack. "I will not assign you another Darth as master, nor another Lord – frankly, I can't afford to lose too many of them. You'll answer directly to me from now on, Lord Kell. I believe that it will be an… interesting experience. Now, I will hold you no longer."

Serpentis lifted one hand.

"But don't forget, young one, that you still serve, both me and the Sphere of Mysteries", the Dark Lord stated. "If you don't, we will fight. And as you just pointed out yourself: There is no way you could truly win."

Victoria Kell bowed and left, feeling that she had narrowly escaped disaster. And the worst part was that she still didn't know what to eat this evening.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Kaas City, 30 BEA_

"Statement: Welcome, Master. Observation: Your number of limbs remains within acceptable parameters. Question: May I conclude that the meeting went well?"

Victoria couldn't help herself and smiled.

"Apparently, Espee, imagine that", she answered, nodding towards her trusty droid. SP-04 fell into line behind her, as she walked through the streets of the Sith Empire's capital city. The Sith was unconcerned about attacks on her while she was out in the open. No simple burglar would dare to try his luck on a Lord of the Sith, and rivals wouldn't strike in sight of the numerous soldiers if they only had to wait a short time to catch her alone. Not that she was ever alone, anyway. SP-04 and its colleagues were always close at hand.

Victoria was quite proud of her droids. Optically undistinguishable from simple protocol droids, any enemy would have suffered quite a surprise when attacking them. Durasteel and cortosis, crafted by the best cybertechs around a highly flexible skeleton, military-grade energy core, sensor technique fitting for scout vessels and hidden weaponry that might have gotten her into trouble with Imperial Intelligence – at least if the spies had known that she liberated some of these from one of their most impregnable vaults. What use was there in being among the most highly-trained assassins of the Empire if you didn't use the skills now and then, anyway?

She had dubbed the series 'SP' not for 'simple protocol', but 'stealth protector' – her own small army of absolutely loyal bodyguards. At least so long nobody succeeded in hacking them, of course. Good thing that programming and slicing had always been Kell's hobbies – she wouldn't trust anybody but herself with the droids' personality matrices or combat routines.

Now, about dinner...

"Warning: Attention, Master. Some yet-breathers are trying to infiltrate your apartment. Excitement: Wouldn't it be advisable to check whether any survived the security systems?"

Victoria shook her head. There was virtually no week without any attacks on her stronghold. Sometimes she wondered if all Sith Lords of a certain prestige were suffering those, or if she was somewhat special.

"Come on, Espee. Wouldn't want you to miss all the fun", she answered, and hurried to her speeder.

"Assurance: All signals green, no tampering detected."

Victoria checked the vehicle anyway, if only to keep her skills in shape. It would be a little anticlimactic to train for epic lightsaber battles, only to be bested by a corroded fuel injection.

* * *

"Master Kell, thank the stars, over here!"

The call of her apprentice made Victoria frown. Alius Ceptis was usually not one for many words, and if he really was fighting for his life, he shouldn't be wasting any thoughts on gratitude for cosmic dust balls.

Kell stepped over the corpses of two intruders, and the remnants of SP-06, into the smoke-filled hallway. Whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly. She called upon the Force and drew it around her like a cloak, becoming all but invisible. This was her home, and she wasn't about to play fair.

Three strikes and two mutilated corpses later, she finally reached the living quarters. Apparently, Ceptis had picked this area to make a stand. Victoria resolved to have a word with him, when this unfortunate episode was over – her whole collection of ancient burial urns was in shambles. Some of them had been near-irreplaceable, and more worth than the entire stronghold. Was it really too much to ask for to take any lethal fighting towards the kitchen?

Come to think of it, she still needed to find something tasty for dinner.

The hum of lightsabers clashing against each other brought her back to the present. Her apprentice was holding his own against three attackers, his violet dual blade easily distinguishable between the red sabers of the enemies. Victoria dived head-first over the couch and struck the first one down while straightening again. The second turned, but was too slow to evade her blade – a clean hit sent him to the ground in two pieces. The third Sith finally displayed some sort of sanity and reason by trying to flee through the massive hole in the wall, but Victoria would have none of it. She channelled her anger and shot lightning after him, enough energy to power her largest computer screen for a year. The black-robed figure was hit square in the back, stumbled, and tumbled out of the new side entrance, without the luxury of a parachute. Victoria didn't suppress a grim smile when she felt him draw his last breath. Served him right, after all, for challenging her and destroying her possessions.

Lord Kell deactivated her lightsaber and turned to Ceptis, who was doubled over and breathing hard. The blood still pounded between her temples. Was he hurt?

Ceptis looked up with a crabby smile, his orange eyes glowing in... excitement?

"What would I do without you, Victoria?" he hissed.

It was a deep-engrained reflex, nothing more, that made Lord Kell draw her lightsaber again. She hated her given name with a passion, not because she didn't like its sound, but because some people seemed to take it as an invitation to check if she really was victorious against their attacks.

There was a clicking noise as something hit the blade of her saber. Taken by surprise, Victoria stared at the dart which had fallen onto the floor. Then, as if in slow-motion, her gaze reached the face of her apprentice. Ceptis' face was contorted with open hatred now, his lightsaber ignited in his hand, a strike imminent.

He didn't get a chance to go through with it, though. A series of blaster bolts hit him, threw him back and made him stumble. Victoria didn't waste any time, but jumped forward, instinctively avoiding the dart on the ground, and struck her apprentice down. She felt his death through the Force, but hit again, and again, throwing a wave of Force energy after the corpse for good measure. Her hands were shaking.

The triple-damned bastard had taken her by surprise. Sheer luck had saved her, not the Force, not her training. She doubted that the opaque liquid she had spotted on the dart was just essence of Rodian sunflower.

"Worried: The treacherous yet-breather has been eliminated, Master. Assessment: Wasting more energy on his remains is pointless. Encouragement: All previously identified yet-breathers are now non-breathers, and no further bombs or traps have been identified by a class five emergency sweep, with the exception of the toxic knife on the ground. Question: Permission to start clean-up and repairs?"

Victoria breathed deep and nodded.

"Thanks, Espees", she sighed. Sheer luck, and her droids, of course. She watched as SP-04, SP-01 and SP-08 started their work. Her appetite was gone, replaced by the urgent need to take a shower. She felt unclean, not only physically, but also mentally. One thing was more important, though.

Lord Kell returned to the entrance and picked up the remains of SP-06. Multiple lightsaber hits had all but destroyed his form, but its head was still intact. Victoria used her hand scanner to confirm her hope, then breathed in relief. The data banks were still intact. She would have to reconstruct the body from scratch, but that was nothing but a minor inconvenience.

"SP-04? Please order a new set of components, and call back the others. Right now, watching the cantinas and space ports can wait. Besides, surveillance data can be cracked, anyway."

Victoria slowly sat down on a chair that hadn't been marred by crossfire. She had never much liked Ceptis, anyway, but been ordered to train him by her late master. Perhaps this had been her former apprentice's motivation – revenge for Darth Scorpius?

"SP-01", she called, "please trace back Centis' holocalls from the last week. I'd like to know whether he actually invited these intruders to sidetrack me from his impending attack."

And there was still something else to take care of... Victoria Kell sighed and lifted her holo communicator again.

"Darth Serpentis? It's Lord Kell. I had to dispose of my apprentice, Alius Ceptis. Awaiting orders regarding a possible replacement."

Darth Serpentis' carved face came into view, red eyes blinking.

"Ah, Victoria", she stated calmly, "still busy dismantling my pyramid of power, I see."

Victoria winced. Especially after today, her name was not something she cherished to hear. Somehow, her new master seemed to read her mind. Which, on second thought, was quite likely, and more than a figure of speech, thought Victoria. She carefully pictured the volcanoes and lava streams of Minak III, hoping that the Darth got the hint.

Serpentis just laughed, more amused than anything.

"Don't worry, Lord Kell", she chuckled, "I won't insist on using that name. Nor will I force you to take a new apprentice, at least if you don't want to do so."

Victoria blinked. That was disturbingly courteous of the Darth.

"However, I indeed have a task for you, Lord Kell", the old Sith continued. "I'm still piecing together the details for a high-risk mission, but I want you to prepare yourself for a week-long journey."

Victoria looked up.

"The war against the Republic?" she asked hopefully, eager to finally do her part. The mission to Minak III had been nothing more than artefact searching in enemy territory. But Serpentis shook her head.

"No, not the war. Another issue has come up, one former ally who was thought lost on his personal crusade. Perhaps you have heard of Darth Ikoral? I'm sending you some material on him."

The younger Sith tilted her head.

"I suppose emphasis is placed on 'former', not 'ally'?" she commented, quite sure that Serpentis wasn't asking her to play tour guide for an old hero.

The old Darth just smiled. Victoria had seen depictions of old Korribani demon figures with a more pleasant smirk than that of her new master.

* * *

Two hours later, most of the debris in her flat was removed and the large hole in the wall was fixed, albeit only provisionally. Kell had even had the chance to take a shower and was slowly feeling better again. She channelled the Force, drew it around her like a blanket, and allowed little flames to run over her skin. Bathing in pure Force energy was more refreshing than water, and more rejuvenating than kolto.

Through power, victory...

She didn't care who this Ikoral person was or what his past achievements were. If he was foolish enough to stand against her, he would burn.


	4. The Gravestone

_Zakuul, 5 AEA_

Night had finally fallen between the glittering city towers of Zakuul. There were still a couple of ships busy on some errand or another, but the general traffic was quieting down. Even better, an end to the robotic utopia of a city was finally in sight.

It would have been a reason to relax, thought Raven, while trying to extinguish a fire with the Force and failing miserably, if their own spacecraft hadn't been about to fall apart into a thousand pieces.

The shuttle closed in on the city's border, crossed it, and flew into the darkness beyond its walls. Nobody had any chance to admire the scenery, though, because the smoke was getting worse. More and more fires were appearing out of nowhere. Raven might have stopped her technical training years ago, but 'burning' was usually not a valid state for any circuit, Zakuulan or otherwise. Well, after the damage Vaylin had inflicted it was a wonder that their ship was still airborne. The Sith coughed. Breathing was becoming harder, with the fumes clouding the control room.

"Get those fires out!" Koth exclaimed. Raven squinted her eyes and tried to use the Force on the flames again, but to no avail. She seriously needed some rest, a good meal, and perhaps some weeks worth of basic training to regain her full strength. At the rate they were going, she was unlikely to get any of it in the near future.

"Did you think to take any extinguishers when you stole this ship?" Lana asked, with irony dripping from every syllable. If Koth had a clever retort, it was cut short by another explosion that hit the ship.

"Blast it... Outlander! You're up! See what you can do with this thing..." he yelled instead, and Raven stumbled to the controls, while Vortena tried to do whatever he could to keep them in the air. But Lord Kallig didn't need the Force nor a degree in shipbuilding to predict that his efforts would be futile. The shuttle was being wrecked by a chain of blasts and bursts, with more systems damaged every second. Their only chance was to land, preferably on flat ground and as soon as possible.

Raven breathed deep and concentrated on the Force, sensing the numerous life forms around and below her. The landscape underneath her was no desert, it was alive, and each plant, each animal was like a small fire in the darkness when seen through the Force. A sudden warmth engulfed the Sith, and she silently nodded to her sister, acknowledging the help, as Lea's power augmented her own.

There.

Flat ground, reasonably solid. Surrounded by trees, too, but the clearing was large enough. Had to be, really, because they were out of time. Raven bit her lip in worry, and tried to stabilize their flying wreck with the Force. None of the instruments in front of her were responding any more. Still, the Force allowed her some form of control. The Sith clenched her teeth and pulled and pushed with the Force, trying to slow their descend as well as keeping what was left of the ship together. Then, the impact hit, metal screamed, and Raven found herself somewhere down on the floor.

But they had done it. Lord Kallig smiled when she heard Koth cursing, Lana's cough and her sister whistling. Even the HK droid commented something, but she didn't quite understand its words. It didn't really matter, though. The ship had landed, and all of them were still alive.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Swamps, 5 AEA_

"That's two more shuttles you owe me."

Raven blinked at Koth's remark. She was still getting used to the special dynamics of their strange group. Lana, however, had no such problems.

"You didn't even own this one. It really shouldn't count", she countered, seemingly unconcerned about their surroundings. Or anything else, really.

Koth grinned, obviously not worried, either.

"It was mine when it crashed. It counts", he said, completely confident.

Somewhere behind him, Lea only shook her head.

Raven decided to try to speed things up a little.

"Do we know anything about this swamp?" she asked, realizing that their position wasn't a very comfortable one. They were alive, but their shuttle wasn't going anywhere, and the Zakuulan troops were definitely searching for them. They needed a plan, and resources. Or another ally with another shuttle, but Raven somehow sensed that this was not going to happen.

They were on their own.

"Not much to it", Koth answered. "Barely populated, some old ruins scattered around, the usual grumpy wildlife you'd expect. People call it the Endless Swamp."

"Endless?" Lana asked, echoing Raven's thoughts once more.

Koth shook his head. "It's an old name", he explained. "People were more dramatic back then."

Raven smiled while listening to their banter, allowing herself some seconds of peace. It was nice, really, to see Lana so relaxed and comfortable around Vortena. Whatever their history, they had obviously come to rely upon each other a great deal during the last years. Raven was glad about it. Her friend was usually one to keep a professional distance, even towards most of their allies, but nobody should have to face down a galactic war or a suicidal rescue on their own.

"I get the sense you two have been working together for a while", she commented.

Koth looked up from his work.

"Long enough", he said, and Raven couldn't quite place the look in his eyes. She shrugged inwardly. Probably just a reflection from the fire.

Lana interrupted her thoughts.

"I know you've more questions than answers", she stated, "but we should really keep moving. I promise, I'll tell you everything I can as soon as we're safe."

Something cracked, as Lea pulled an assortment of unidentifiable things of the wreckage.

"Don't worry, sister", the Jedi added with a grin, "I'll tell you everything you need to know as well."

Raven smiled.

"Everything I need to know?" she asked. "Does this include reports of your relationships during the last years or not?"

The Barsen'thor blushed.

"In case you forgot, I am a Jedi Master", Lea grumbled. Raven only laughed.

"I still remember, but sometimes you do seem to forget it", she mock-chided her sister, grinning.

"What about Attros Finn, for example?"

The Barsen'thor's cheeks got a shade darker.

"That was a long time ago, and only a short... distraction", Lea muttered. "How do even know about it?"

Raven hid behind her well-practised calm and serene that's-how-you-unsettle-Jedi face. She hadn't really known about this incident, but she had listened when Lea told tales about her early adventures on Tython and Coruscant. And her sister had always spoken fondly of the Mirialan healer.

"Does it matter?" she asked. "And what about Captain Nelex on Taris?"

Lea shook her head.

"Thought about it", she admitted, "but soon enough he was so intent on getting his vengeance on the possessed Jedi that I was glad I hadn't tried anything. At the end, I was relievedwhen he didn't try to shoot me. And while mum always told me that a certain amount of rivalry can enhance a relationship, I thought that it wasn't such a good idea. Plus, his beard was ugly."

Raven filed this piece of information away, in case she ever needed to annoy her sister.

"Tharan Cedrax?" she asked.

Her sister's skin colour changed from light red to pale green at an alarming speed.

"Don't start", she snarled, and spat on the ground. "I was flattered when he started paying me compliments, but it didn't take me long to get majorly weirded out by his exo-holo-whatever-gram. And when he started to go after my Padawan instead, and broke her heart after she turned to him in a moment of great vulnerability... Let's just say he's lucky to have survived that episode with all his limbs intact."

Raven nodded. She knew this story, for her sister had frequently cursed the technophile doctor.

"Rowan Delk on Tatooine?" she tried.

The Jedi frowned. "Not bad, but a little too old", she said, "and besides, after I healed Master Vossan, Delk did freak out a little."

Interesting. Raven hadn't known that shielding the Masters had caused problems, she only knew that all of the afflicted Jedi had been cured. But their current topic was far more interesting.

"President Cordan?" the Sith asked, knowing for sure that there had been... something... between the politician and her sister.

Another blush, crimson this time. Jackpot.

"Tai?" Lea asked, voice somehow climbing through a set of octaves within one single syllable. Raven smiled deviously, ready to press the issue, when Lana cleared her throat.

"If you two could stop for a second or two", she said, apparently slightly annoyed, "perhaps we could proceed before the Skytroopers surround us. Koth, HK and I have scavenged what we could from the wreckage."

Right. Somehow, the young Inquisitor had managed to forget that they were still stranded on a world full of enemies, in a swamp without shelter, and without anything to eat. They still needed a plan. Badly.

"Anything on your sensors?" she asked the HK droid. Best to collect information first, before starting to run in any direction.

"Confirmation: I've detected a large metallic object nearby", the droid stated. "Analysis suggests a technological construct, but there are no energy readings. Enthusiasm: Shall we investigate the technological object? I believe I can guide us to its location."

Raven nodded.

"Very well", she agreed. Some kind of purpose couldn't hurt, if only to keep up morale.

* * *

Spiders. Why were any and all planets in the known universe infested by spider plagues? Raven remembered one especially obnoxious best in the Malignant Bog back on Dromund Kaas, and the little white spiders of Korriban which usually crawled through the k'lor'slug's nests. The poisonous spiders of Balmorra had been very unpleasant, and were only beaten by the monstrous arachnids deep in the ruins of Taris. Those charming creatures had likely been infected by a special strand of the rakghoul plague, at least if their sweet temperament and food preferences were any indication. And now these iknayids tried to gnaw her feet off.

Well, at least the smaller ones. The larger spiders were probably perfectly happy with swallowing her whole. A distinct roar made Raven groan. Lovely. Somehow, even a rancor had found its way to the Zakuulan swamps. And, naturally, it was charging her.

Sometimes Lord Kallig wondered whether there was something special about her. Perhaps a peculiar scent that told all wildlife she encountered that she was especially delicious and perfectly edible? She didn't like cutting down beasts, but wherever she went, the whole ecosystem seemed intent on committing suicide by Sith lightsaber.

In the end, the rancor fell. Raven breathed deeply and looked around, but the last spiders had finally rediscovered their survival instincts and fled into the depths of the undergrowth. Everything was quiet for the moment.

"Admiration: It is a great pleasure to witness your skills first-hand, master."

Raven looked to the HK unit, who promptly bowed.

"'Master'?" she asked, unsure if it confused the Jedi title with its Sith counterpart.

"Clarification: Master Beniko altered my programming before we secured your release. I am to serve you with the same unexcelled loyalty with which I serve her; in fact, your survival is now my highest priority."

The Sith was still getting used to the droid. It had the same voice as her own HK model, but HK-55 displayed a far more pleasant demeanour. A bodyguard, not a marauder, but likely just as deadly.

Warmth spread through her as she realized how much Lana cared, but Raven wasn't about to let it stand. Her life wasn't worth more than those of her allies.

"I am no more important than Lana, or Koth, or Lea", she stated. "Don't prioritize me above them."

The droid's optics blinked.

"Concession: I will alter my prioritization as you request, master. Gossip: You are just as selfless as I had been led to believe."

It paused for a moment. Or 'he' paused? Raven wondered about the correct or most polite form of addressing a droid. Her own HK-51 hadn't cared at all. Its only concern had been eliminating as many enemy 'meatbags' as possible.

This one was only obeying its programming as well, but it... he had saved her life.

"Resumption: Shall we continue?" HK asked, and Raven agreed. They still had quite a distance to go if they wanted to reach their destination. And she could already see more of the small spiders in the dark.

* * *

After what felt like hours of walking through the swamp, Raven finally saw another clearing. And metal. Definitely metal.

"Is this the object you picked up on your sensors?" she asked, hoping for a rest. Her feet were killing her. Being frozen in carbonite had obviously not been good for her general fitness.

"Confirmation: Yes, master. A closer scan suggests that this object has been here for several centuries."

Raven frowned as she looked around. Whatever the object had been once, now it was partly sunken into the mud, trees were growing above and through it, and if the sounds were any indication, a couple of beasts had made themselves at home inside the metallic hull, too. And yet... there was something about the whole construct that made the young Sith uneasy. The angular plating, nearly invisible in the gloomy night.. the walls which were a tad too shiny... perhaps a general sense of strangeness that emanated from the object. Raven took a closer look. This was no forgotten piece of cargo, and no old housing container. She'd bet anything that this thing had once roamed through space.

The sound of steps in the darkness made the Sith focus on the present again. Lea appeared from the mist, arms full with some shrivelled-looking type of fruit. At least Raven hoped it was a fruit.

The Jedi put her collection on the ground and straightened with a small groan. Then she picked a piece, rubbed it once across her sleeve, and took a hearty bite.

"Bog apples", she munched. "Not poisonous, perfectly edible. Don't look like much, but they taste better than you'd think."

Raven didn't comment on her sister's table manners. Instead, she picked two apples and threw a small electric Force Wave onto them for disinfection. Better to be safe than sorry; she didn't fancy a spider-droppings induced diarrhoea on top of everything else.

But for once, she was pleasantly surprised. The fruits were juicer than expected, and a bit on the sour side, but way tastier than iknayid steak. Raven did know this for sure. She had been a little distracted during one spider fight and closed her mouth in the worst possible moment.

Good thing, really, that the Jedi had run into those trees, or shrubs, or whatever. The package of ration bars had gone down with the ship, and if the Skytroopers found them, Raven wanted to fight them, and not faint from hunger. She picked another bog apple. Five years, and only one ration bar – her stomach still insisted on compensation.

Koth and Lana joined them, the former checking in with HK, the latter helping herself to a belated dinner.

"Centuries?" Vortena asked, frowning. "Of all the junk out here, you had to find the antique."

"Strange antique", Lea added, while chewing through another apple.

HK scanned the metallic hull again.

"Observation: Visible design elements do not match any from Zakuulan culture, antique or modern."

Raven couldn't say she was surprised. The feeling of strangeness had returned. There was something almost tangible alien about the structure, unlike everything she knew or had seen during their flight through the city.

Koth took a step toward the wreck.

"Not from Zakuul..." he mused. "Could it be?"

With that, he disappeared into the darkness. Lana just shrugged.

"He doesn't overthink things", she commented, and helped herself to another apple.

Raven pondered what to do now. Their most pressing concerns were food, drink, and shelter. With their immediate hunger and thirst appeased, they really had to think on how to improve their precarious situation. Just when she wondered whether she should go and search for Koth, the Zakuulan native reappeared, with a wide grin on his face.

"Haha! Do you have any idea what this is?" he asked, smiling like it was his birthday and he was presented with his heart's desire.

"It looks like some kind of old spacecraft", Raven guessed, when none of the others were rising to the bait. She didn't want to quell his enthusiasm, but the Sith couldn't comprehend why Koth was suddenly so happy. Hallucinogenic mushroom spores maybe? One never knew what was lurking in the murky depths of old wrecks.

"This is the Gravestone!" Koth exclaimed.

Lea shook her head.

"Is it just me, or is he some spiders short of an infestation?" she whispered, but Koth didn't hear her. Or perhaps he just ignored her. Somehow Raven got the impression that these two didn't always see eye to eye.

"This was the only ship that ever went up against the Eternal Fleet and won. Do you have any idea how long people have been looking for this thing?"

Koth was positively beaming now.

Raven reconsidered her assessment. None of the mushrooms she knew could create such a potent psychosis. Spider bite, perhaps? Some of the venoms she had researched in her time on Dromund Kaas had quite impressive effects...

Lana frowned and shook her head.

"And we just happened to stumble upon it?" she asked. But Raven saw another problem. Impossible odds, mysteries or whatever, a wreck of a famous ship wasn't of more use to them than any wreck.

"You said this ship went up against the Eternal Fleet and won. But it's rusting in a swamp while the fleet is still around", she said.

Koth wasn't discouraged.

"The fleet is even older than Valkorion", he explained, "maybe even older than Zakuul. The battles happened centuries ago, nobody knows the details of the whole war. But every story talks about the Gravestone: one ship with the firepower to take on the Eternal Fleet... This is fate."

Lea just snorted, while Raven stared at the metallic hull. Could it really be this simple? A chance to fight, an escape route from Zakuul, just hidden in the swamps and right before their eyes at this very moment? Had the Force guided them to this place, after all?

Koth wasn't finished, however. He turned to Lana.

"We get your Outlander, find exactly the weapon we need... We're going to win this thing, Lana. It's destiny."

And just like a bucket with icy water, that last word hit Raven in the face and made her shudder. Destiny? There was no such thing as destiny in the universe. Anything that looked like destiny was likely careful manipulation by some cunning being. Or, more likely, just chance. Hopefully. Raven thought about the passenger inside her head. With all his power, Valkorion could easily have known about the wreck, and he certainly could have steered their stolen shuttle into this direction during their chaotic escape. Stars on the night sky, he could probably have influenced each and every one of them – or would they have been able to notice such manipulations?

The Sith wasn't sure if she heard faint laughter inside her head, or if it was a figment of her imagination.

Worry shone in Lana's yellow eyes. "It's certainly no coincidence... but destiny? I think there is something else going on here", she warned.

Raven breathed deeply and tried to calm herself. No. Valkorion was powerful, but she knew his aura. Lana knew. Lea knew, and was already warned about her passenger. One of them would have noticed if he had intervened directly. Vitiate... Valkorion... whatever his name, he was still just a Force user. Incredibly powerful with the Force, sure, but actions in the Force caused ripples. She would have felt it herself if he had led them here, and she hadn't noticed anything.

Not Vitiate, then. But destiny? Highly unlikely.

"Do you think this is some kind of set-up?" she asked Lana. She didn't think that Koth manipulated them, but if there was a course pre-plotted in the shuttle, if somebody on Zakuul knew about the wreck...

Her friend shook her head, but seemed concerned nonetheless.

"No, not exactly...", she answered. "I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Rakata", Lea interrupted. "Whenever something is strange, terribly dangerous, and can possibly cause the end of the universe as we know it, it's always the Rakata behind it."

She paused and tilted her head, blinking towards Raven.

"Vitiate may be the only exception", she admitted, "but I haven't ruled out the possibility that he is really some old Rakatan Force ghost himself, who only uses different host bodies now and then because he got bored over the centuries."

Koth just laughed. "Let's have a look inside, huh?" he said, and walked back to the wreck.

"Assessment: Nearby signs of animal activity suggest local predators may be using this wreck as a nesting ground. Caution is advised."

Raven groaned. Good thing that at least the HK unit remembered the mundane, but more imminent dangers they might face.

"We'll split up, deal with any wildlife, then regroup to plan our next move", Lana suggested, obviously intent on making some progress. Raven sighed more deeply. She had hoped for a chance to put her feet up, but knew that any delay could be fatal. Skytroopers were out there, looking for them, and if there was any chance for an escape, it would certainly be best to try.

* * *

Half an hour later, Raven had finally had enough. Knee-deep in iknayid entrails and facing yet another giant spider, she reached out with the Force and threw a huge wave of energy towards the beast. The Sith didn't care if she got a headache later. When the brood mother stumbled and fell, and Koth cheered, she allowed herself a small smile of relief.

Spiders. She was really starting to dislike them.

* * *

Another thirty minutes later, Raven was doubling up in pain. Something in her stomach seemed to have turned to stone. It was a bit mortifying, she thought, as the whole rescue party surrounded her, because the likely culprit was a small swamp apple.

Koth shook his head. "You ate four of them? Blast it. I should have warned you, bog apples contain a form of acid that's not easy on an empty stomach. One or two should be save, but more... Anyone else feeling any symptoms?"

Obviously this wasn't the case. Raven clenched her teeth, but relaxed when Lana and Lea finally succeeded in putting enough healing Force energy into her to solve the problem.

When Koth moved away, Lea shook her head.

"Well, I ate ten", she murmured. "Seems I've inherited mum's poison resistance, after all."

* * *

Raven was sitting on the ground and tried to collect her strength, while her friends scurried around and checked the mysterious wreck.

"So this ship has been here for... a thousand years? More?" she asked. It was still hard to wrap her head around it.

"Right", Koth answered. "It's amazing that it's in such good condition, considering. Judging by the damage I've seen, the stories are true: Whoever built the Gravestone scuttled it themselves after the Eternal Fleet was defeated. It wasn't shot down."

He crouched next to her.

"You alright?" Vortena asked, worry still eminent in his tone.

The young inquisitor tried for a smile.

"Better", she answered. "Would be a bit humiliating if a Zakuulan plant got me, while the Zakuulan troops let me slip away."

Lana cleared her throat.

"The Fleet was defeated, but not destroyed", she continued with the history lesson. "Valkorion brought it back, under his own control, more than a century ago."

"Exactly", Koth added. "The Eternal Fleet is totally automated. Nobody knows who first built it, and every theory is crazier than the last."

Raven left the group to their bickering and stood up slowly. The walls around her seemed ancient, but there was little rust visible. She started to walk around, checking out her surroundings, while taking note what Koth and Lana explained. Unstoppable fleet, controlled by the Eternal Throne...

Nothing was ever easy.

She reached another room and stopped dead in her tracks. There were tables, and at least one couch visible. And there was even a bottle standing on the table, surrounded by some cups.

Raven would have preferred an iknayid nest. That would have made a little more sense in a place like this.

"Well", Lea commented, "want to try if some liquor might help ease your stomach? If this is a rare vintage, this bottle might be worth more than the entire ship."

The Sith ignored the attempt at levity.

"So, against this giant unstoppable fleet, we have... ourselves, and an ancient wreck that may never fly again? And a bottle of Zakuulan swamp water, matured over centuries, and three remaining bog apples?"

Stomach ache or not, she could still count.

"One", Lea corrected. Raven could have sworn that she heard her sister burp discreetly.

"When you put it that way, how could we lose?" Koth retorted, unwilling to tolerate pessimism.

Lana interrupted them before they could really start to argue.

"Regardless, we have many other things to discuss. I owe you five year's worth of explanations", the blonde Sith said.

Koth nodded. "And I'm going to need some parts to get this thing moving again", he added.

"Locating fresh water and supplies would also be wise", Lana concluded.

Raven tilted her head and tried to guess whether her stomach was finally done revolting. She surely hoped so.

"I'll help you find what we need, Lana", she decided. Best to stick with a healer as long as she wasn't completely confident about her entrails' behaviour.

As the two Sith left the ship, Koth was working on the Gravestone, while the Jedi and the droid started a patrol of their own. Raven pitied any spider or Skytrooper that were unfortunate enough to cross Lea's path. She had seen her sister's face – the Jedi was likely searching for an excuse to let off some steam. And in contrast to most of her peers, Lea's method of choice was not meditation.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Deepest Swamps, 5 AEA_

An hour later, Raven's head was spinning. Lana had given her a short, but poignant summary of the last five years. Zakuul's invasion, Arcann, his military superiority, the end of the Republic and Empire as she had known them, negotiations... All this while she had slept in Carbonite. Saresh as a dictator-style figure, Darth Acina as Empress of the Sith... This was nearly worse than the nightmares she had faced during her imprisonment. Her power base all but destroyed, Moff Pyron and the Silencer fleet lost in deep space... Raven hoped that the Moff had found a way to survive. She had come to rely on him during their battle against Darth Thanaton, and genuinely liked the old officer.

The Sith wondered what Arcann did with all the resources which he collected as a tribute. Building himself even more warships, perhaps?

When Raven finally got up the nerves to ask for her crew, Lana's answer met her expectations. With all the chaos around, her crew members, allies, friends, had all disappeared, and were likely spread throughout the galaxy. Or worse.

Through passion, strength. One simple question left. Why was it so hard to ask one simple question?

"What about Theron Shan?" Raven asked, trying for a nonchalant tone, but failing pathetically. Lana just smiled.

"He's well enough, and working for the same goal as we", she reassured the young Sith.

"Theron and I have been in touch, and he knows that you were caught alive, and frozen. He helped me put together this mission to Zakuul, but couldn't be here himself to thaw you out. I'm sure we'll catch up with him soon."

Raven found herself sitting on the ground and wasn't quite sure how she got there. But it didn't matter. Relief flowed through every cell of her body.

She looked up to Lana and saw her smileagain, this time knowingly.

"Agent Shan asked me to tell you that he remembers, and that he always will", the Sith added, and Raven closed her eyes. It took some seconds until she trusted her voice again.

"There is some kind of weird dust, here, in the air, isn't it?" she finally coughed, and rubbed her eyes furiously. Lana was her friend, sure, but this was something private.

When she looked up, she only saw her friend's back. Lana was making a show of checking and rechecking the fresh water spring which they had discovered, clearly giving her the chance to regain her composure. Raven got up again, went to the water and drank. The water was cool and clear, and tasted wonderful. When she had succeeded in washing all after-tastes of the bog apples away, the young Sith splashed some water onto her face as well. Perhaps one day she would learn how to Force Cloak tears. In moments like this, it would be a very welcome skill.

"So, why me?" Raven asked Lana, when she was finally ready to face her friend again. "I do appreciate your efforts, believe me, but why? You could have tried to outmanoeuvre Empress Acina, or to rebuild and unify the Empire into a force to challenge Zakuul. Instead, you spent years to get me out of carbonite."

Lana's yellow eyes pierced the darkness.

"Before you were captured, you accomplished things no one else dared to attempt", the Sith explained. "You changed the galaxy more than once – and if things have ever needed to change, now is the time."

Raven considered this, and wondered whether this was the only reason. Or the real reason. She knew Lana well, and the former Minister of Sith Intelligence was not one for sentimentality. Still, this almost felt like a sentimental act, and it damn well felt also like grasping at straws. But what was the most rational way to counter a galactic threat and galaxy-wide chaos? Raven knew what she'd do, at least – gather information and collect as many allies as possible, then finding the enemy's weakness, then decide whether to negotiate or to strike. The inquisitor allowed herself a smile. Sentimental perhaps, yet practical, and somewhat rational. It was nice to see that her friend was still herself.

"But... there is something else", Beniko continued. She now stood with her back to Raven, but had stopped walking, as if speaking those words cost her more strength than she was willing to admit.

"I've felt it since the moment I found you in carbonite."

Lana paused again, and Raven sensed what was coming. She had waited for a moment to breach the topic herself for some time now, after all. Perhaps it was a good idea to do it now.

"There is a power in you, something new...", Lana said, tentatively. She hesitated again.

"It's elusive, but I know it's there."

For a long moment, there was no sound but the whisper of the wind, above the dark water in the mist.

"I think you are right, Lana", Raven said, and hoped for a moment that the wind would get stronger, strong enough to blow all worries away.

"I think the Emperor – Valkorion – is in my mind."

It was getting easier to speak these words, but it was still hard to watch others react to the news.

"What?" said Lana, turning to face her again. Raven thought it best to continue with more details. She was suddenly afraid of silence.

"After he died, there was a storm of energy", she explained. "I barely even remember being thrown into the carbon freezing chamber."

Even the things that had happened before were fuzzy, unclear in her memory. Some pictures were sharp, piercing, burnt into her memory, but they were strangely unconnected. The attack on the frigate, soldiers dying. Her sister's scream as she was hit...

Raven shook her head and forced herself to stay in the present.

"And then, while I was frozen, I saw things... dreamed about him, about everything that happened while I was gone", she finished.

Some distant lights were reflected in Lana's eyes. But there was a blurry edge to them, as if they were swimming in more moisture than usual.

"It can't be", she insisted, but with a slight hitch to her calm voice. Raven suddenly felt like a doctor, whose duty it was to inform a patient of a fatal diagnosis. It hurt to see her friend's shock, even more because she was responsible – and couldn't do anything to help.

"If he were controlling you, I'd know it", Lana continued, regaining more of her confidence with every word. "I certainly saw enough of it on Ziost."

Raven shook her head.

"I don't think he's trying to control me", she said, and remembered Lea's words. "Not directly, anyway. He was trying to convince me to work with him."

Memory knocked and presented another set of pictures. A dead planet. Golden eyes gleaming as Lea drew her lightsaber against their foe. The Eternal Throne. Dark nightmare stones. Red-black armour on the ground. Burning red flags with the Imperial crest. The end of the galaxy as she'd known it.

Raven didn't know what the future would bring. But working with Vitiate, the world eater? Killer or would-be-killer of people she held dear? All-powerful or not, making her work with him willingly was likely beyond the former Emperor's skill set.

Lana's voice cut through her musings.

"Whatever he's doing, we can be sure that he is always trying to deceive us somehow", the Sith stated. Raven was glad that she seemed to have regained her composure. Anger now coloured Beniko's voice, but anger was good, was safe. It was a shield against despair.

"I believe in you", Lana said, with such sincerity that Raven felt her own eyes water. "And I appreciate your honesty. I'll remain watchful for any influence he might have over you."

Raven forced herself to nod, still wrestling with emotions. She usually had no problems coping with whatever the universe threw at her, be it body-stealing masters or traditionalists with a vengeance who hunted her through known space and beyond. But since she had been thawed out of carbonite, she found herself fighting more crying fits than in the whole previous decade.

Lana took a step towards her, reaching out and touching her shoulder. Raven wasn't sure if it was encouragement or pity that motivated her, but she didn't care – she hugged her friend, again glad that the darkness of the night might help hide her face.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion – the Sith code was not wrong. But Raven could really do without rebelling lachrymal glands now and then.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Gravestone Vicinity, 5 AEA_

Raven and Lana checked in on HK and Lea when they returned to the wreck. Beniko went on to secure the resources they had discovered, while Lord Kallig searched for Koth. She had thought about joining her sister for a patrol, but Lea was busy testing the limits of her bog apple acid resistance and exterminating all spiders in the vicinity. Raven didn't want to interfere while the Jedi was truly enjoying herself.

"Hey there. Did you find something tasty?"

Raven smiled involuntarily when she heard Koth's greeting. She had the feeling that she and the Zakuulan native would get along just fine.

"We definitely found something", she answered. "And in contrast to Lea's apples, most of the things aren't red-flagged in Lana's short survival guide to the Zakuulan wilderness."

Koth laughed. "Really? Nice to see that your friend is prepared for all eventualities."

"She's always ready to face anything", Raven smiled, "and vegetable madness is no exception. But wasn't there something you needed help with?"

Vortena nodded. "Yeah. I've got a pretty good idea on the parts we'll need. Let's go see what we can find."

Raven grabbed one of the dark violet swamp roots from their food stash and stepped out into the night again. Somehow, the weight on her shoulders didn't feel so oppressive any more. Talking to Lana had helped, as did Koth's presence – he simply radiated an optimism that was hard to resist. Perhaps they did have a chance to escape Zakuul, after all.

It just took them minutes to reach the first starship parts. The shuttle debris was clearly visible on their sensors. This was likely a bad sign, since nothing stopped the Skytroopers from scanning on their own, but Raven was still glad that they didn't need to dig giant holes into the swampy ground to get what they needed. She and Koth engaged in some small talk while walking, but it wasn't until they found the fuel cell that Vortena started the destiny discussion again.

"It is destiny", he stated flatly. "I ditch all these parts before we crash, we find the Gravestone, and then what do we need to get it flying? Honestly, it's plain as day."

He paused for a second.

"Not for Lana, though", he conceded. "For her, it's all just skill and luck and coincidence."

Raven closed her eyes for a second. She remembered the rescue, what had happened before, and what had happened since. If there was indeed something like destiny, it deserved a good kick. Preferably somewhere where it hurt.

But she couldn't bring herself to oppose Vortena so directly. Instead, she tried for some diplomacy.

"Koth, I can somehow understand your position", Raven said, "but relying on fate is risky at best."

She noticed his frown and tried to explain her reasoning.

"Look, I don't know if there is something like destiny involved here. Perhaps you are right, I have no idea. But if we convince ourselves that destiny is on our side, that we can't lose because fate has already declared us the winner of this little contest, then we are prone to make mistakes. And if we do that, we will lose. If believing in destiny helps you to stay optimistic and to sleep better at night, then by all means, continue. But in general, it's always better to rely on yourself and your friends if you are in trouble."

Koth stared at her and shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe it. Lana, Lea, now you... well, at least you didn't hit me", he said. "Just wait and see, I know I am right on this."

The Sith blinked. "I'm sorry, what did my sister do?" she asked, hoping that she hadn't heard correctly. But Koth just nodded, with a wry grin creeping back onto his face.

"I somehow deserved it", he admitted, "because she had already threatened to do so, twice, should I start with this 'destiny drivel' again. And she didn't hit me very hard. Still, your sister is certainly something. It took me quite some time to figure out that she is, in fact, the Jedi sister, and we were out to save her Sith twin. Seems there is quite a story there, right?"

Raven took a deep breath. "Well, yes, I suppose there is. From what Lea and I pieced together, we are twin sisters, and our parents were Sith. Powerful Sith, in fact. But not powerful enough to stop an attack that got mother killed, while I was abducted and ended up as a slave. Well, mother managed to save Lea, at least. Then things get a little strange, because as far as I know, father still lived, yet Lea, a Sith's daughter, was brought to the Jedi enclave on Chandrilla. I suspect that father did it, or one of our parents' servants, to save her, while he pursued his vengeance. Lea thinks that this is highly unlikely, but she has no better explanation."

Raven cleared her throat.

"Father vanished shortly after", she continued, "but mother reappeared, as some kind of Force apparition. She lived in Lea's mind, too weak to actually appear in classic Force Ghost fashion, but she was strong enough to talk to her daughter now and then."

Vortena looked surprised, but then he nodded vigorously.

"So that's why Master Kell is... well, the way she is", he deduced. "Your mother corrupted her when she was little?"

If there was one thing Raven was sure of, it was this – Koth was wrong.

"It was nearly the opposite, really", the Sith said. "Lea was always headstrong and wilful. She once told me that she was close to leaving the Jedi Order when she was young, but mother talked her into staying. I believe that Lord Kell wanted nothing more than to protect her remaining legacy, so she did what she could to keep Lea under the protection of the Jedi."

It still felt weird to talk about their mother. Raven had no problems acknowledging the existence of a Lord Kell, or talking about her as Lea's mother – but it was something else to really believe that this woman was also her own mum. She had no clear memories of either of her parents.

"Lea was found to be Force sensitive at an extremely young age", she continued. "She was raised a Jedi, with additional input from a dead Sith. That's why she is firmly aligned to the Light Side, but doesn't believe in oppressing her emotions."

"Did she learn all these curses from your mum, too?" Koth asked, with a mixture of fascination and morbid curiosity.

"No, I think that special quirk is due to one of the gardeners at the Jedi enclave in Chandrilla", Raven said. "My sister once told me that she didn't feel like belonging to the Jedi as a child, so she slipped away frequently and explored the gardens of the temple grounds."

Koth looked at her with his warm eyes, and Raven didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking.

"Please don't start with the whole pity routine", she asked, trying to somehow convey that she appreciated empathy in general, but not for this special case. "Yes, I was raised a slave, but there is no use in wallowing about it, or wondering what might have happened if our parents had lived."

Koth tilted his head.

"But isn't this unusual?" he asked, curious. "A slave with your strength in the Force?"

Raven shook her head.

"My own Force abilities manifested themselves very late", she said. "I managed to survive without for quite some time, but finally, I got into a confrontation with a Sith that should have left me a smoking corpse. Instead, the Force awakened in me, and I survived with little more than a scratch."

"Quite a scratch", Koth deadpanned, and eyed her scars, trying to make a joke of it.

"No, I already had those", Raven sighed. Empathy or not, joke or not, she wasn't going to relive that particular episode now.

"Anyway, that's why Lea Kell, daughter of Lord Victoria Kell, also known as Darth Ignus, is a Jedi", she concluded. "I, on the other hand, became a Sith. Lea told me that my given name is Moira, but I am more used to 'Raven'. Even if it's a slave's name. Most slaves are called after their hair or skin colour, really. I think the reasoning is to take away every last part of their identities, even the little piece that's stored in a name. But for me, it was the other way around – my friends had called me 'Raven', it's who I was, who I had always been. So I kept my name when I became Sith. And before you ask: 'Kallig' is the name of a long-dead ancestor of mine, whose spirit I met on Dromund Kaas. Mother didn't know, neither did Lea, at least until I told her, but that's why it's 'Lord Kallig'. Or 'was', not 'is'. Titles don't really matter any more."

She looked to Koth, who met her eyes.

"Thank you for sharing this with me", he said, "I mean it. Well, I figure you deserve to know about my past as well. Lana might have told you a little; I was the captain of a warship during Arcann's campaign against your Core Worlds."

There was suddenly a network of grim lines on his face that Raven had never noticed before.

She knew regret when she saw it.

"My crew and I deserted, but I'm not going to pretend we didn't do our share of damage beforehand. Just... thought you should hear it from me."

Koth let his head hung, just a little. When the silence started to grow heavy again, Raven cleared her throat.

"Lana mentioned that you deserted instead of following an order", she asked, hesitantly. "What was the order?"

She was afraid of going too far, but Koth didn't seem to mind.

"We were holding territory on Denon", he answered. He spoke faster than before, as if the words hurt on his tongue, as if he was hoping he might feel better once he had spit them all out.

"Locals rioted, and orders were to open fire until they stopped."

Koth shrugged, an echo of helplessness visible in his motions.

"None of us wanted to even be there... massacring civilians?" Vortena shuddered. "That's not how Zakuul is supposed to operate."

Raven watched the Zakuulan pilot and sensed remorse. And fury, likely directed at Arcann personally, for forcing his hand back then. She was sure that he hadn't betrayed his people lightly.

"Thank you for being honest with me", the Sith said, and allowed the warmth that she felt to be reflected in her voice. "You did the right thing."

Koth looked up. "Glad you think so", he said, and coughed slightly.

"One more thing", he added. "As long as we are being honest. Or open. Or... you know. When you risked your life to shut that generator down, you showed me that you are somebody I can count on."

There was no hint of a smile left on Vortena's face, just quiet determination.

"I want to take Arcann down, but we don't have to take down all of Zakuul with him. I'm glad to know you understand that, too."

Raven remembered the Skytrooper droids, but also some civilians she had seen during their escape. And the Knights. They had been normal persons, not monsters. She felt no hatred towards them, even though the Knights had tried to arrest them. They had likely believed that she was indeed guilty – and if they had known the truth, well... Not everybody had the courage to follow his conscience instead of his orders.

"Too many innocent people have suffered already", she stated, and thought about the fear that she had felt while running through Zakuul. Not all of it had been her own. The civilians had been afraid. The Knights had been afraid. The only one without any fear had been Vaylin. She was the reason for much of the fear on Zakuul.

"I am not going to add to that", Raven continued, thinking about the suffering and all the terror in general. Eternal family be damned, she would find a way to make things right without stepping down to their level.

"Thank you", Koth said, simply, but heartfelt. The Sith knew that he meant it.

"Come on", he continued, and Raven knew that the time for serious talk was over. "Let's get this stuff back to the Gravestone."

* * *

On their way back, Raven got a message from Lea that made her speed up her steps. Apparently, the swamps held more surprises than droids and spiders. When the Sith reached her sister and the HK model, there were people with them. Three Zakuulan exiles, to be precise, who were coweringon the ground, likely in shock, and nearly in tears.

Raven resolved to talk with Lea about her people skills when they had a minute. There must have been a better way to defend herself than ripping a Skytrooper droid to small metallic shreds before the eyes of innocent civilians.

Lord Kallig sighed inwardly and tried to comfort the exiles. She didn't really know whether the Gravestone would fly again, but she knew for sure that she'd take the poor refugees with them to safety, if they ever succeeded.

Arcann had much to answer for.

* * *

 _Zakuul, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

"You sure we can make it fly again?"

Raven's question echoed in the darkness as the young inquisitor let her gaze wander over the massive hull. Right now, the whole wreck seemed as immobile as a mountain, and just as unlikely to move.

"She'll fly", Koth answered with his trademark optimism. "Just been waiting for somebody to come along and remind her how."

Lana checked the surroundings.

"Let's get to work, then", she remarked, and Raven agreed. It was time to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.

Lord Kallig didn't believe in miracles out of principle, but even she had to admit that things progressed reasonably well. Alarmingly well, in fact. Koth had somehow managed to retrieve a radio from their shuttle wreck, and so they hammered, fused and calibrated to the sounds of the latest Zakuulan pop songs. The refugees were eager to help and dragged more water and food reserves towards their store-room. And in contrast to Lea, they knew exactly what fruits, roots and leaves were edible.

The Jedi and the droid were busy banishing the last of the spiders from their ship. Lana was levitating crates around, and organized their whole group's schedules in pauses. Somebody had even found time to discard the swamp water bottle and the last of the bog apples. Knowing her sister, Raven considered it likely that Lea had just eaten the latter between rounds of iknayid hunting.

Finally, energy hummed and a cascade of activating lights ran through the sleeping starship, to the collective cheer of its new crew.

Raven looked around in wonder. Koth was right – it really didn't feel like they had repaired the ship, but had reminded the cruiser that it could, and should, fly again. And now the Gravestone had awakened. Part of Raven pondered who would choose such a morbid name for a ship, but then she was distracted by a strange sound. It was almost a whisper, but not quite. Not mechanical, but not clearly organic, either. Perhaps most similar to electric static, but quieter, more subtle. The Sith left the others to their celebration and followed the hushed whispers though the half-lighted hallways. There it was again, the feeling of alien strangeness she had sensed the moment that she had first seen the ancient wreck. Raven moved slowly and took care to check her surroundings, both visually and with the Force. Nothing out of the ordinary was noticeable, though, apart from the eerie sounds. The Sith touched her lightsaber, comforted by its familiar weight.

Raven finally reached a chamber, and the whispers subsided. A light blue gleam emanated out of nowhere, illuminating the central, angular structure. Red markings shone through the darkness, and round, window-like structures some metres above her emitted an orange glow. The whole... thing... had a distinct organic feel around it. A grown structure, not a constructed one, perhaps?

The Sith shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. She really needed some fresh air.

"I take it you have... questions?"

Raven barely managed to stop herself from drawing her weapon. She knew this voice, knew the carefully modulated way of speaking each syllable, knew the complete confident tone that bordered on arrogance. And she knew the ghostly face that had appeared out of thin air, knew his aura even better – the feel of near-overwhelming power, lanced with coldness, and laced with arrogant superiority, no matter which face he was wearing.

Vitiate. Valkorion. The former Sith Emperor.

Raven clenched her teeth. She didn't need some fresh air, after all, but a mental pest control company. Or a thorough exorcism.


	5. A Map for the Future

_Korriban, Sith Academy, 6 BEA_

"Slave."

Raven ignored the speaker as well as the provocation and continued eating her ration bar, while carefully reaching out with the Force to monitor her surroundings. The dining hall of the Sith Academy on Korriban wasn't a safe place at the best of times, but there was a clear difference between 'dangerous' and 'lethal'. It all came down to one question – how many overseers were present, and did at least one of them care about the Academy's rules and laws?

This afternoon, Overseer Ragate was close by. And Raven also sensed Inquisitor Arzanon. Both were clearly visible through the Force, their cold aura reflecting on the dark walls and making the students around them uneasy. Still, at least to Raven, their presence meant safety. Both of them were traditionalists, but respected regulations. And strength. Since she had slain a whole swarm of shyracks and dismembered a giant worm during a bizarre blood ritual, the old woman was nearly friendly towards her.

At least on the relative Sith friendliness scale.

"Slave!"

Raven swallowed the last bite of her meal and washed the taste down with a gulp from her water flask. She always took great care to fill it herself and to never let it stand around unsupervised – being caught off guard meant death on Korriban, not only in the tombs, but also around her fellow Sith. Especially around her fellow Sith.

 _"Slave!"_

Her visitor's tone crossed the line from provocation to hysterics, so Raven made a show of slowly looking up and gazing searchingly through the room. She heard suppressed laughter from the left. Good. Not all of the other students were allies of her opponent, then.

"Dumbee", she greeted the student with the sweetest smile that she could master. "I'm so sorry, I almost didn't notice you. Perhaps you could speak a little louder next time?"

Raven watched calmly as her visitor's head darkened to an unhealthy colour. Probably anger issues, or problems with his blood pressure. Likely both.

"It's Demby", the student hissed, eyes gleaming viciously, "and you'd be wise to remember it, slave. Now leave, your betters want to eat without having to endure your presence."

Raven squinted her eyes. Two other students stood behind the loud-mouthed acolyte, all pure-blood Sith. One of them radiated arrogant confidence, like the spokesperson, but the other seemed more unsure. Raven smiled again, allowing the light to fall on her scars as she did so, and he winced.

Coward. The young Sith was confident that he, at least, wouldn't cause her much trouble.

"Well, you and your little friends are free to leave any time, Dumbee", she drawled, fully aware that any sign of weakness on her part might defuse the present situation, but would only encourage more attacks in the future. Best to face the trouble head on, right where she could see it.

Demby's face colour got even worse as he closed in.

"You think yourself so clever, slave", he growled. "Bet you don't find it so funny once you choke on your dinner. There are so many beautiful poisons that I could to try..."

Raven just shrugged.

"You can certainly try your luck", she remarked, completely unconcerned. She never touched the standard food, since she had already been witness to two poison attempts between other students. Instead, she regularly sneaked to the food stores for the slaves and prisoners and helped herself to a less tasty, but risk-free diet.

"Or perhaps you'll wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of your own dying scream", the acolyte continued menacingly.

Raven shrugged again. She never slept in the dormitories, either, but hid between cargo containers, behind the slave camps or somewhere in the droid-guarded parts of the tombs for some hours of undisturbed rest. By now, she was pretty good at using the Force to hide her own movements. It was one of the reasons that she was still alive.

"Or perhaps I'll just roast you here and now, slave!" the Sith screamed, as frustration overwhelmed him. When he lifted his hand, Raven didn't even bother moving – he was so unsettled by his rage that his Force Lightning missed her by metres. No small feat, considering that he was standing directly in front of her.

Or had been standing, really. Another blast of Force energy, way better targeted, engulfed the screaming acolyte and pressed him against the wall. Overseer Ragate had entered the room with her trademark elegance, her red eyes shining, and closed in with a smile that was far more unsettling than any Raven could hope to achieve. The young Sith resolved to practise this look in front of a mirror.

Raven calmly watched as the overseer lectured her opponent on the Sith Academy's rules again. When the old woman had finished, Raven slid from her chair and patted Demby on the back – he was still too shocked to make any move against her.

"Amateur", she said, again very friendly, turned, and left the room with her head held high. Neither of his friends tried to stop her.

When Raven had reached a safe distance, she slipped out of sight, called upon the Force and retreated to her latest hiding spot. There, she fired up her datapad and started a tracking routine for the little sensor that she had placed on the acolyte's back. She knew perfectly well that retribution would come, but she also knew that she would be ready for it if she saw it coming.

* * *

 _Korriban, Sith Archives, 6 BEA_

Deceased.

Eaten by tuk'ata.

Missing during work, body never recovered.

Death by Sith lightning.

Raven breathed deep and tried to hide her emotions as she worked herself through heaps of data in the Sith Academy's archives. Red. Star-Eye. Fur. Green. None of them had made it through the last years. It was true what they said – Korriban killed. And there were many, many ways in which the harsh planet could kill a defenceless slave.

Raven hadn't dared to visit the slave camp in the open. Any sign of weakness on her part would only guarantee more attacks by unfriendly acolytes, and if any of her former friends were still there, she would only endanger them as well. But she wanted to know what had happened to them, even if it caused her grief. The knowledge hurt, but not knowing and just guessing hurt even more.

The young Sith blinked away her tears and switched to another data base, searching for maps of the tomb of Marka Ragnos. She still had a job to do, and didn't want to give Overseer Harkun the pleasure of failing to retrieve the holocron he had sent her to fetch. She knew the consequences of failure.

Poor Kory. Poor Gerr. Poor Niloc. But pity couldn't help them any more, as they were beyond any help now, and it certainly wouldn't help herself.

There. A map. Not complete, but at least something. Raven scrolled through a number of reports from the tombs, but didn't learn anything useful – she already knew that k'lor'slugs and tuk'ata roamed through the excavation sites, and that madness flowed freely through the valley. It had only gotten worse during her absence.

But staying inside and failing her trial meant certain death. Raven preferred a fighting chance.

The young Sith downloaded anything that looked remotely useful and left the hall, while carefully watching the shadows around her. She made her way to the shuttle without any incident, and took care to inform the droid in charge precisely where she wanted to go, and why. It wasn't a requirement, but Raven sensed a familiar presence nearby. Not Demby, but one of his followers. The arrogant one, if she wasn't mistaken.

With a little bit of luck, he'd track her movements and inform his friends. With even more luck, she just might survive the tombs and solve the rival problem in one afternoon.

Raven didn't really believe in luck, but she believed in preparation and calculations, and careful planning. And since she didn't have a better plan, but was out of time to think of another, she drew a deep breath and journeyed towards the Lower Wilds.

* * *

 _Korriban, Lower Wilds, 6 BEA_

Horuset's beams bathed the harsh sands of the Lower Wilds in orange light. A soft wind whispered through the ruins, and the little yellow flowers were in full bloom again, their petals still forming a thin layer of beauty over the harsh world. For one moment, Korriban was just like Raven remembered it.

But something had changed over the years. The young Sith breathed deep and looked around, to the mountains in the distance, and to the ancient graves nearby. It wasn't the stones, or the air, or the vegetation, and yet it was all of it – there was a new vibe, something like a wrong tune, almost inaudible, but there. Always there. It was like seeing a familiar painting, but in a strange, new light, with darker shades and a peculiar hue.

Reports said that people had started to go mad in the tombs. Raven had no problems believing it.

The Sith closed her eyes for a moment and reached out with her senses. Years ago, without the Force, she had felt the cold radiating from the tombs. Now, she could differentiate between the actual physical warmth of the sunshine and the dark draw of the ancient Sith resting places. It still felt uncomfortable, but now at least she knew that a warmer cloak wouldn't solve her problems.

Cold comfort, literally.

Raven checked her datapad. Retrieve impossible-to-get holocron, slay mutant tuk'ata and get its brain, collect stolen supplies. All in a day's work, and no time to lose. The young woman drew her training blade and controlled it, then made sure that her shoes were fastened well and her clothes didn't restrict her. Her supply of medpacs was still holding up – good. She had earned some credits by running some errand or another, and a number of hunting trophies had sold well, too, but she got the feeling that it was best not to squander the money. One never knew how much damage a blade could take, and asking Harkun for a replacement would likely be a good enough excuse for him to cut her down.

Raven got the impression that even breathing too loud might already qualify as an excuse when it came to the overseer. She knew for a fact that he despised her, and that special feeling was mutual. The Sith wondered for a second if she should have watched her mouth and dialled down the sarcasm a bit, but was pretty sure that even on her best behaviour, the choleric human traditionalist wouldn't have treated her any differently. A small smile played around her lips as Raven remembered the hermit Spindrall's words – it was Lord Zash, not Harkun, who would make the final decision regarding life and death of the acolytes. Assuming, of course, that the overseer didn't surprise her with any covert manoeuvring, that the tuk'ata didn't get her and that she completed her trials without being bested by a rival.

An hour later, Raven had finally managed to reach the tomb of Marka Ragnos. The distance wasn't the problem, but a whole legion of paranoid guards and slaves were intend on shooting anything that moved. She had avoided most of them by carefully hiding between the ruins and dashing through open spaces whenever there was an opportunity, but now, a number of tuk'ata barred her way.

Well, it was time to see if her preparations and researchhad been a waste of time or not. Raven took a deep breath and emptied her mind of all fear, then walked slowly and without hesitation towards the beasts. She didn't bother to try cloaking her steps with the Force; the hounds were too close and their senses too keen. The first tuk'ata noticed her, and growled, but Raven ignored him; she just tightened her mauve neophyte robe to keep down uncontrolled movement and walked past the beasts.

And... nothing happened.

When Raven had put some distance between herself and the tuk'ata at the entrance of the grave, she allowed herself a small shudder. It seemed that the researchers had been right – the Sith hounds were attracted and provoked by movement, by fear, and perhaps even by the colour black. While Raven disliked her old robes, she had deliberately opted to leave her newer black cloak behind.

Perhaps the beasts had just been too stunned by her blatant stupidity, part of her brain commented cynically, but Raven told it to shut up and followed the corridor deeper into the tomb.

Somewhere here the mutant beast was hiding, she was sure of it.

As if on cue, her datapad pinged once as her distance tracker sent an alarm, and Raven shook her head. Demby. Probably with his little friends. Well, if he wanted to have a confrontation, he could have one. Calmly she made her way to a small chamber, knelt down and allowed the Force to flow freely through her.

Raven didn't need to wait long. And she definitely didn't need her heightened senses to hear the screams and growls and clashes from the entrance of the tomb, as the tuk'ata greeted the new arrivals. She heard a piercing scream and felt the death of the more arrogant Sith sidekick, as well as the fury and fear of Demby and his remaining friend, but those emotions were detached, distant. Death didn't shock Raven any more, but somehow, she felt... not really pity, but something close. It was such a waste, to see lives extinguished so easily.

Slow, deep breaths. The battle was over, the tuk'ata dead or retreating. Raven still felt pain through the Force, though – one of the two remaining adversaries was badly injured. And Demby and his group hadn't brought medpacs with them.

A sharp snarl made Raven focus on her own surroundings. The sound of talons on old stone... claws... sniffing. She wasn't alone.

Louder sounds, from the entrance this time. Demby and the limping acolyte had finally caught up.

Raven didn't move one single muscle. She now saw what had made the sounds in the darkness – a massive, giant tuk'ata, nearly invisible in the gloom. It didn't move now, but Raven sensed its tension.

"Slave! Now you won't slip away again!"

It took the young Sith quite a lot of self-control not to shake her head. Stupid acolytes – when you got the chance to strike, you shouldn't waste it with witty comments or useless threats.

"Don't move, or you are both dead", she warned, without even glancing over her shoulder. The beast before her was stirring, and even she, with her human nose, could smell the blood of the acolyte's wounds.

"Unlikely, slave! Now face death!" Demby screamed, and stepped forward. And with that, the chaos started. With an unearthly howl, the giant tuk'ata lunged from the shadows. Graceful, despite its enormous size, it jumped and collided directly with the bleeding acolyte. Raven finally turned her head but instantly wished that she hadn't – it wasn't a pretty picture. The acolyte didn't even get the chance to scream before the young Sith felt his presence slip away.

This left Demby, shocked and confused, and the growling tuk'ata, both too busy to even notice her. Raven stood up, slowly, and wondered what she should do, as the fight started anew.

The best thing that could be said about the following struggle was that it was quick. The beast was hit one or two times by the acolyte's blade, but shrugged it off and smashed the Sith into the next wall, ready to kill the nuisance.

"Help me..."

Yellow, terrified eyes met blue ones, and Raven acted out of reflex. She lifted her hand and allowed the Force energy that she had collected to run freely through her, hitting the tuk'ata from behind and burning through its flesh. The beast whined, and fell, its passing causing small ripples in the Force.

Raven felt a bit like a sleepwalker as she watched Demby on the ground before her. His face was pale and gaunt, and dark, wet blotches grew alarmingly fast on his robes. She crouched, taking out one of her medpacs, trying to ease his pain if nothing else. Raven bowed forward, ready to apply kolto to his badly maimed shoulder, and saw something blinking.

Red blinking.

It didn't even take her a conscious thought or more than half a second to propel herself through the whole room, away from the thermal detonator. Lucky, indeed, because she didn't have more than half a second – as she hid herself behind a small wall, the explosion shook the ground and filled the whole cavern with dust.

Raven thanked the Force for old-time quality Sith walls and construction skills, because the tomb didn't collapse. The only things shaking, really, were her hands.

Stupid, the darker parts of her brain commented. Never take a risk, just let him bleed out if you are not ready to strike yourself. Raven gnashed her teeth and hoped that her survival instincts would stop gloating. Automatically, she pulled herself up, then walked over to the tuk'ata corpse and tested the genetic profile before retrieving its brain. Still feeling peculiarly like a droid, she moved, and moved, trying not to look at the hole with the sticky mess that had once been her opponent – she just moved, till she was outside again.

Horuset's beams were still touching the ground, but Raven didn't feel their warmth at all. Something inside her had turned to ice, and didn't seem to thaw again.

* * *

In hindsight, Raven couldn't say how she had managed to reach the sealed chamber with the ominous holocron in the deepest chambers of Marka Ragnos' tomb. The Force had been with her, certainly, most probably in form of a cloak – no fighting was involved, no guards had noticed her. When she entered the chamber with the pyramid that was supposed to hold her target, shyracks screeched in the darkness. But the bat-like creatures didn't attack, they just screamed in terror and nearly bounced into each other when hurrying out of her way.

Puzzlement knocked on Raven's mental back-door, and the young Sith scratched her head. She looked around, trying to see if there was a reason for this highly unlikely behaviour, but found none. All was quiet in the ancient chamber, and the distinct, violet gleam didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary.

Wait. Why was there light at all? There weren't any lamps close by.

Startled, Raven lifted her hand and inspected her fingertips. An eerie, spectral glow emanated from her hand, from her arm, from her whole body. As she stared in shock at a semi-reflecting wall, she could make out her silhouette, drawn in blue-violet flames, reflected in old crystals. But the worst part were her eyes. Striking white-purple glowing lights stared back at her from the wall.

Raven threw a Force barrier around her and drew her sword, but felt at the same moment that it was as ridiculous as it was useless. There was nobody here but her, and that, as it turned out, was the main problem. Nobody but her, and nothing but her own lingering shock, hurt, and rage.

Darkness.

The same darkness that she had seen in Demby's eyes, right before his strike. Right before the explosion that would have killed her, had she not seen the light of the small bomb as the dying acolyte activated the trigger.

And she had only seen it because she had wanted to help. The insanity of it all made the Sith's head hurt.

Raven put her sword away, sat down on a metallic staircase and was careful to breathe calmly. A hysteric fit wouldn't do anything to help her now. Slowly, the red clouds inside her minds evaporated, and she could think more clearly – but what bothered her most was that she hadn't even noticed her own hatred.

If we hate, we become like them, memory whispered. Raven hit the stair rail with her hand in frustration, glad about the small pang that somehow seemed to connect her with the world around her again.

The violet gleam faded, replaced by the murky semi-darkness that permeated all of the tombs. Close inspection revealed no weird Force gleam anywhere around herself, or at least at the parts that Raven could see clearly. Time to go on, then.

This whole episode had cost her enough of her time.

The young Sith walked towards the monumental pyramid. It looked just like the pictures she had seen, only in reality the burns and marks of many unsuccessful opening attempts were much better visible. After the day she'd had, Raven didn't particularly care, though. Old stones? Laughable.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, careful to avoid hatred, but calling on her own determination instead. With some mental strain she blocked the mystical coldness that tried to creep inside her from the very walls, but welcomed the cool air around her, allowing it to cool her thoughts as well.

When her mind was calm again, she lifted her hands and reached out towards the monument, with the Force flowing around her arms. She didn't even bother asking herself what she'd do if this didn't work – she just knew that it had to. And it seemed that the ancient stone or metal, whatever it was, wasn't intend to argue with her; there was a small cracking noise, and the monument parted, revealing the holocron.

As Raven pocketed the small object, she noticed a tuk'ata that had entered the chamber. But the beast ignored her, mostly, it just whined and took a step back as she came down the stairs. This didn't make any more sense than anything that had happened since she had entered the Lower Wilds, but suddenly, Raven was too tired to be surprised about it. Perhaps it wasn't the colour of one's clothes, but really the power of the Force that cowed the Sith hounds – mutated by the Force, they might sense a strong opponent, and refuse to attack unless provoked or desperately hungry.

Somewhere in Raven's other pocket, the mutant tuk'ata brain rotted along.

* * *

 _Korriban, Tomb of Naga Sadow, 6 BEA_

"I am your master now. Get used to it."

Raven stared into the small, burning eyes of the ancient assassin before her. Her muscles hurt; the Dashade may have been weakened by his long imprisonment, but he still packed a punch. She'd won the fight, but now a second struggle was on her – would he follow her? Without him, if Lord Zash was right, she couldn't hope to retrieve the map.

Blue eyes bore into red, and when Raven focused on the grey giant before her, she was suddenly reminded of the tuk'ata. Careful not to blink, Raven drew on her determination and willpower, and finally, it was the Shadow Killer who dropped his eyes.

"As you say, little one. But one day I will regain my strength."

It wasn't like Raven suddenly and miraculously understood Dashadi, but the Force allowed her to comprehend the meaning behind his growls anyway. Which probably meant that her own prowess at learning new languages wasn't so much talent, but Force power as well.

So be it. As disappointments went, she was used to worse.

"So, how shall I call you?" Raven asked, as she turned and inspected the walls next to her. She didn't even have to pretend to be fearless; the mental bond and bounds that held the Dashade were nearly tangible.

She could have done with a little more distance, though. His breath was terrible.

"I am Khem Val, proud servant of Tulak Hord, conqueror of many worlds, devourer of Sith and Jedi alike", her new companion droned, and Raven coughed, almost regretting that she had asked, as he continued to list massacres and battles.

"Er, alright, I get it", she tried, "and by the way, you don't need to call me 'Master'. Just 'Raven' will suffice."

Vicious red eyes sparkled in the dark.

"As you say, little Sith", Khem Val said, and Raven didn't believe that she imagined the mocking undertones. So much for her attempts at civilization.

"So... anything in particular that I should know about you?" she asked. "Any food allergies, for instance?"

She just couldn't help herself.

Khem's red eyes got a shade darker. "I devour Force users and spit out their bones", he grumbled, but seemed a tad more timid than before. Resignation, most likely.

"Any hobbies?" Raven continued, and winced as she put her hands into the pockets of her robe, only to discover that she hadn't changed or cleaned it since delivering the tuk'ata brain. Yuck. Nothing like mouldering tissue to take one's mind of things.

Now there was definitely a half-hidden grin on the Dashade's face.

"Tulak Hord had no hobbies, he just stomped his enemies into the ground", he boomed, and crashed his enormous fist right through a debris wall. Raven followed her new companion and wondered how long it would take until she got used to his sight – and what she'd do to feed him. She didn't believe that ration bars would sate his hunger.

But as the mysterious star map came in sight, and with it a giant terentatek, Raven resolved to do what she could to keep Khem as comfortable as she could without turning him lose or starting a killing spree among her peers. It was a relief to have somebody fight alongside her, even if it wasn't the most friendly partner possible.

For the first time in a long time, she was no longer alone.

* * *

 _Korriban, Sith Academy, 6 BEA_

Dromund Kaas. Raven nodded to herself as she recalled Lord Zash's instructions. She had never set foot on the Imperial capital world, but imagined that it was similar to Ziost, albeit warmer. Still, if her new master had asked it of her, she'd gladly faced Hoth or Ilum. Zash was not to be trifled with, that much had become very clear when she killed Harkun's favourite Ffon Althe, but she had been nothing but decent towards herself. Kind, even, and encouraging. And now, Raven was even carrying her master's old lightsaber.

Yep. She would have faced Hoth's winter for Zash. She literally owed her her life, after all.

And yet, Raven couldn't bring herself to continue hating Harkun, as she used to. She had seen him in his moment of failure, and while he was a monster, he wasalso an old, inflexible man, full of fury, but scared. The dark side was with him, sure, but still Raven felt pity. He had likely never even experienced friendship, but was just a small tyrant, in his own little world of traditions that got smaller and smaller every day. If Zash had not intervened, she'd have tried to kill him for stealing her map and orchestrating her downfall, but hatred – no. No longer. She wouldn't give him this satisfaction.

Dromund Kaas, then, but there were two things that she wanted, no, needed to do before her departure. Things that her new position of power as a Sith apprentice might allow her to do – to honour the past, and to change the present.

* * *

Raven didn't bother to explain herself to the droid as she requested a shuttle towards the Lower Wilds. The way towards the tomb of Marka Ragnos was clear – either the new legions of troopers had managed to drive their insane colleagues away, or the maddened ones had simply starved. Or perhaps they were still clever enough to hide at the sight of the terrifying Dashade behind her.

Either way, Raven faced no opposition as she entered the tomb again. She allowed her feelings to guide her and entered another chamber, close to the one where she had found the holocron of the former Dark Lord. Something stank, nastily, and Raven took care not to step into the puddles of blood that oozed from another terentatek cadaver. Whoever had killed the giant beast had nearly cut its limbs of.

Raven pressed her hands onto her ears in a futile attempt to block her own hearing as she heard smacking behind her. Khem hadn't lied when he told her that he was always hungry.

Trying her best to ignore the grizzly scene, Raven turned to the chamber's side and finally held her steps. A giant wall, carved with runes, illuminated by dark-blue temple torches; this would do nicely.

Raven called on the Force and pushed against the ancient stones, grinding and polishing the surface and erasing any remnants of its hateful glyphs. When she was finished, she drew her new lightsaber, ignited its red blade, and carefully started to cut new runes into the plate.

Red, Zabrak, Iridonia.

Her weapon cut through the old material with ease as Raven added the approximate day of death.

Star-Eye. Human. Corellia.

The Sith allowed herself a second of rest, then continued her grim work in silence.

Fur. Wookie. Kashyyyk.

Green. Mirialan. Mirial.

Kory. Human. Ziost.

Raven breathed deep and willed her hand to stay steady. Something must have gotten into her eye; likely dust. Her vision blurred slightly.

Moira. Human...

Raven stopped her movements, and stared at the carving. She had automatically continued with her engraving, and the first stroke of the name 'Moira' was clearly visible in the bluish light. The only issue, really, was that she had never known a Moira, human or otherwise.

As she looked around in puzzlement, she thought that she noticed a faint, golden gleam, and a light, warm touch, like a summer's breeze on her face. But whatever it was, if it was indeed more than just a figment of her imagination, was gone before she could study it further.

Raven shrugged. She definitely needed some fresh air.

The young Sith activated her lightsaber again and added further strokes to the rune, changing it and completing the line as she had intended.

 _There is no death, there is only the Force – and it shall free you._

* * *

"Open the door, I have business in the slave camp."

Raven cringed inwardly as she heard her words, but maintained an aura of cold arrogance in front of the trooper who guarded the gate. He saluted and obeyed without question; if it wasn't the lightsaber that made him do so, the towering Dashade behind her surely had a talent for convincing people to see things her way.

The young Sith looked around and reached out with the Force. Grandpa's name hadn't been in the files and death lists that she'd studied, but that didn't mean anything – she didn't even know how the overseers had called him. 'Old man' was the only expression she remembered, but there were more old men, back in her slave days on Korriban. It was evening, though. If he was still alive, and things hadn't changed too much, he should be at one of the fires somewhere, likely with one or two ration bars to spare, and preparing to tell his stories to all who might want to listen.

Raven ignored the hurt in her chest and blinked, unwilling to give in to her feelings. She was close, but she wouldn't, couldn't endanger her mission. Through victory, all chains could be broken – she had succeeded and beaten the Sith trials, against all odds, now it was time to break some bonds.

There.

The Sith had to look twice to be sure, but was positive that she had found her mark. The old man was smaller than she remembered, and the years had written on his face. Many more lines were carved into his skin, and she spotted scarred tissue that she didn't remember from before. He looked up as she came nearer, but there was no recognition in his eyes. Just fear, half-hidden behind a well-practised blank stare.

It hurt, deeper than she had imagined, to see his beloved face so cold and closed.

"Get up", she ordered, while hating herself for doing so, but the trooper was still within earshot. No choice there.

When she had led her old friend and only parental figure that she had ever known around the edge of a tent, Raven whirled around and pressed her hands on his mouth, silencing his surprised gasp.

"Listen", she whispered, with all the forcefulness that she could master, "bring me all people who can still dream. Get me all of the slaves who still dare to imagine green pastures under a blue sky. Call all together who remember the secret of the silver hare. Rally them together, and tell them not to panic, whatever I may tell the guards."

Her datapad beeped again, signalling that the evening's shuttle launch drew near. She was counting on the usually chaotic minutes to help her endeavour.

Raven looked into Grandpa's eyes and still saw no sign of recognition, not even understanding. She grasped his shoulders, but thought better after a second. Instead, she reached into her new robes' deepest pocket and took out the little stone which she had carried with her, from Korriban to Ziost and back again. The shallow contours of the bird were partly erased by frequent touches of searching fingers, but it didn't matter – the picture was still clear enough.

The young Sith pressed the stone into Grandpa's hand and finally, finally saw realisation.

"Raven?" the old man asked, his voice nearly inaudible.

For one moment, the Sith threw caution in the winds and hugged her old friend. She didn't fight the tears as he hugged her back, couldn't really, but hoped that no guards could see her. Luckily, Khem's presence distracted everybody around.

"How many can you reach, how many will trust you enough to follow?" she asked, hectically calculating and weighting her odds, while explaining her plan. It was simple, really – go to the shuttle, bluff her way through, get the slaves to the Imperial fleet, then find a way to get them to safety. There were only a million things or more that could go wrong, so why worry?

"Not more than eight or nine", he answered softly. Raven was impressed with his presence of mind; despite his shock that she'd felt clearly, he hurried to call together whom he could.

Ten people, or less. Not many, at least not in comparison to the size of the whole camp, but quite a lot for a simple slave group. Still, Raven felt that there was a chance.

The Force was with them.

* * *

Not more than five minutes later, Raven approached the guard again. Behind her, ten slaves shivered in the cool evening air. Grandpa, Lekku, and eight children. All of them radiated the appropriate mixture of fear and despair. Raven was pretty sure that none of them needed to act.

Her own acting skills were another story, though. The young Sith straightened up to her full height and added a little swagger to her step, just for show.

"Help me to attach these collars, I don't have all day", she ordered the trooper, careful to express nothing more than slight boredom. It was sad, really, Raven mused, to see how fast he was to obey her.

The shuttle guards, however, were not so accommodating.

"I wasn't informed of any slave shipment", one of them said, suspicious. "Most of your group are near-useless anyway, children and a doter. What does your master want them for?"

Raven shook her head and pretended impatience, as she grasped at the Force and filled her words with weight; enough weight, hopefully, to make them sink into the guard's minds and stop them from asking further questions.

"My master needs to perform a ritual that requires eating ten beating sentient hearts", she invented boldly, ignoring the gasps of the slaves behind her. "Now, unless you wish to donate your own heart to my master's cause, clear their passage and forget that you ever saw this. It's better for your health."

Both guards staggered slightly.

"I will clear their passage", the first and more suspicious guard said, with a voice void of all emotions.

"Yes, I'll help", the second added. "And we'll forget that we ever saw this – it is better for our health."

Raven held her breath and crossed her fingers, but the Force manipulation worked. Just moments later, she and her charges were on the shuttle, and off Korriban.

* * *

 _Vaiken Spacedock, Arrival Section, 6 BEA_

The Imperial fleet was larger than Raven had imagined, and Vaiken Spacedock was beyond her most fantastic dreams. If she had entered the huge station alone, she'd have spent hours between the shops, data stores, crafting teachers and market places. But she wasn't alone, far from it, and her only concern right now was the welfare of the group behind her.

Thanks to Khem, they hadn't been bothered by anybody. Raven probably owed her Dashade a good snack or two – hopefully, there were more terentateks or otherwise Force-touched beasts on Dromund Kaas.

She checked and re-checked the different shuttle routes. Ziost, Korriban, Dromund Kaas – standard, though not helpful. But there, Jiguuna. Nal Hutta was easily among the most unpleasant worlds that she could imagine, but there was a direct shuttle from the main spaceport to Nar Shaddaa, the smuggler's moon.

And on the smuggler's moon, there was a small, but well-known Republic base.

Raven didn't have any illusions about defecting herself. She was Sith, unwillingly or not, and nobody in the Republic would welcome her. Plus, she did owe Lord Zash quite a lot, and always tried to pay her debts. But former slaves from Korriban... yes. If they managed to reach the Republic outposts, the worst that could happen to them were SIS interview sessions and thorough background checks. The Republic would want information they possessed, and offer freedom and safety in return.

Raven spent another hour examining the dossiers of different bounty hunters. She finally approached a pair of female hunters, who both seemed decent enough to be trusted with a non-standard contract, and quick enough with their blasters to shoot themselves out of trouble. She paid them what money she had, asking them to escort the former slaves to Nar Shaddaa and away from the Empire. It was risky, perhaps, but Raven had a good feeling about them. She just had to trust that she wasn't mistaken.

With these technical details cleared, the moment of parting was upon them. Raven all but ignored the children, since she didn't even know their names, and just freed them of their collars. But she shook Lekku's hand and wished him well.

Then, only Grandpa remained. The old man took her hands in his, and for a moment, Raven was unable to speak. They had said their goodbyes once, long ago, and fate or luck had brought them together again for a fleeting moment, but the young Sith knew that this farewell would be final.

She suddenly felt like the child again, who had to face the unknown dangers of Ziost alone.

Grandpa cleared his throat.

"I was wrong", he said, voice full with unspoken emotions. "I was wrong, little bird. I now see that you will change the course of Korriban's sun, if given enough time, as you will change the nature of the Sith."

Raven hugged the old man, again, unable to form words. But when he tried to give her the little stone carving back, she shook her head.

"Keep it", she whispered, "and never forget that there is hope, even in the deepest darkness. I won't need it to remember who I am."

The young Sith watched from the docks as the shuttle departed. She didn't pay attention to anything else, but didn't have to, really, since Khem was standing watch. Melancholy filled her heart, and grief, but it was actually a good feeling, strangely enough. Somewhere inside her, the block of ice that she had carried with her since her near-death experience in Marka Ragnos' tomb finally crumbled, thawed by the warm ball of light that spread through her chest.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Malignant Bog, 6 BEA_

Splash.

Raven frowned and tried again, this time aiming more at the centre of the little river. It wasn't the most difficult task, but from her lofty position in the crown of an old tree, directing her over-long fishing pole was not trivial, either.

She wasn't hunting fish. But the term 'jurgoran pole' had yet to be added to the Galactic Dictionary of Standard Basic.

Splash.

The young Sith closed her eyes and listened intently. Was it only the wind that rustled in the reed, or was there something more?

A loud roar answered her question. A large jurgoran jumped out of the murky depths of the undergrowth. Vicious, unrelenting, strong... and a tad short-sighted, Raven thought, as the creature hit her bait – a large chunk of vine cat meat, spiced with some gundark blood. Jurgorans were adept hunters, but didn't ignore carrion, either.

Too bad for this one.

Further movement, faster. And silent. Out of the shadows, Khem Val appeared, his blade as restless as he used to proclaim in idle moments. The jurgoran didn't stand a chance.

By now, Raven was well-practised in covering her ears when the Dashade was feeding. She ignored the sound of breaking bones and jumped from her tree, stopping at one of the crystal formations that were scattered through the area. She was fond of archaeology and was slowly learning to use quartz variations and rubat crystals for more than just decorative purposes, but right now, she wasn't resource gathering – she was only stalling for time.

When the horrid sounds had subsided, Raven dared to approach the river. Khem was there, inside the water, his usually grumpy face a touch more relaxed than usually. The young Sith had been quick to notice that a little skirmish here and there did wonders for their working relationship. Fortunately, Khem was perfectly happy with hunting animals. Or, at least, he had stopped complaining about it.

The jurgoran's corpse was badly mutilated, but the sharp claws and its crest were undamaged.

Good.

This was the deal that Khem and Raven had agreed on: Blood and meat (and the excitement of the hunt) for him, trophies for her. The money she made was partly invested in new weapons for the Dashade as well, so it was a fair arrangement.

Raven ignited her lightsaber and cut through the bones, removing what parts she knew would sell best. She only took what wouldn't hinder her during her way back – getting bested and eaten by another gundark due to fatigue after a successful hunting trip would be beyond mortifying.

Today had been very profitable, all things considered. The jurgoran claws were the last parts she needed for a nice bounty on the Kaas wildlife, and in the morning, she had already succeeded in hunting down and binding an ancient Sithspawn for a crazy lord whose taste in clothing was as bad as her handling of her apprentices.

And she had even found the cyber neutraliser for her master, winning her more prestige with Lord Zash. Raven only hoped that the scientist would keep his word and stay silent.

The young Sith activated her holo and called the now familiar number. Just seconds later, Zash appeared, smiling fondly.

"Ah, my dearest apprentice", she said, with warmth in every syllable. "Everything alright at your end?"

Raven bowed slightly. "Yes, master", she answered, "I'm still in the south and just wondered whether you needed anything from the swamps here – there are some ruins nearby, but the archives don't have much on them. There are quite a lot of amorphous crystals in all colours around here, though, shall I take back some samples?"

She had already crossed the area twice this day and wasn't terribly keen on repeating the experience.

Zash shook her head.

"No, that's not necessary, but thank you for asking", she remarked kindly. "I'm still piecing together our plan, so feel free to enjoy some hours of rest. You have certainly earned it, my apprentice. Why don't you take a day off, while we are at it? Just report back to me the day after tomorrow, and we'll continue our work. You've been working tirelessly since arriving here, after all, and shouldn't squander your strength."

Raven bowed again, deeper this time. "You are too kind", she answered, and deactivated her comm link.

It was neither a lie, nor empty praise. Lord Zash had indeed been very friendly and accommodating towards her, granting her generous funding, frequent commendations, helpful advise and permanent access to her impressive library. Sometimes Raven had to pinch herself.

Perhaps there was truth to the old saying – you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, nor a Force user by the colour of his or her lightsaber.

* * *

Raven collected some interesting-looking stones on her way up from the river basin. Khem Val carried the trophies, and had only complained about Tulak Hord never asking such things from him twice – an all-time low. The young Sith called that progress.

From the cliffs that were overlooking the whole bog, Raven gazed into the distance. The permanent thunderstorm made it near impossible to ever see the sun of Dromund Kaas, but with a bit of practise, one could guess the time by assessing the diffuse light that came and went during the day.

Or one could check a chrono. More boring, but also more effective.

It was close to dusk now, and Raven stretched her muscles. She had planned to return to the Wall and take a speeder back to the city, but reconsidered when noticing that the rain got heavier. Perfect conditions for yozusk hunting, since these rock wardens were nocturnal creatures and liked the darkness. Khem, naturally, didn't need much persuasion.

After a short trip to the outpost, where she left her trophies and crystals under the guard of Captain Sarnova, both the Sith and the Dashade travelled through the swamps again. Raven was pretty sure that she'd need to burn her clothes anyway after marinating them in the bog for hours and hours of hunting, so it was best to get the most out of them while she could. Her sense of smell was numbed anyway by now.

Carefully, quietly, the two hunters stalked their prey. Raven ignored the smaller, younger yozusks, instead opting to follow the larger trails she had found in the mud. Further to the east the trail went, and the Sith followed. Darkness came, quickly, but it didn't matter – with the Force on her side, Raven could see her surroundings well enough.

"Tulak Hord never spared any prey", the Dashade rumbled, as she chose to circumvent another group of juvenile predators. Raven frowned.

"Then I suppose the great Tulak Hord liked to waste resources?" she remarked. "Or did he bring cargo speeders with him wherever he went?"

"Tulak Hord always had his armies of servants at his disposal", Khem countered. Sometimes Raven wasn't sure if the monster was deliberately mocking or teasing her with his tales of his former master.

She coughed and spat into the water, as one of the frequent mosquitoes tried to fly up into her throat.

"Well, another mystery solved", Raven commented dryly, ignoring the flying pain. "The origins of the great Tulak Hord finally unveiled – from animal exterminator to trophy mogul, and from there, to master of the universe."

Khem's eyes gleamed in the dark.

"Tulak Hord never choked on a fly", he said simply. Raven stopped dead in her tracks, mouth open, aiming for a witty retort, but found none. She just stared at her companion, lost for words, and wondered whether it was a good or a very, very bad sign if Khem Val adopted her sense of humour.

Dashade comedy encountered – end of universe imminent.

A sudden sense of danger brought Raven back to her senses. She looked around hastily, relying on her eyes as well as the Force, and Khem grasped his vibroblade. All thoughts of banter were forgotten as the pair hid in the darkness, weapons ready, and waited.

There. Movement. A shadow, near invisible, further down at the river. A second later, a huge yozusk appeared. It was enormous, likely male and in the prime of his life.

And it was vigilant. The creature lifted its head, sniffed – and charged. From one second to the next, the quiet evening was gone, replaced by nightly mayhem. Raven's lightsaber sang as she managed to get insome hits, but the thick hide of the beast was an effective protection. Another charge nearly sent her flying, and the young Sith decided to change her tactics. With a whirl of Force energy, she jumped onto the next tree, all the while trying to fry the yozusk through generous use of lightning.

The beast was not stupid, though. It turned, and crashed its massive, horny fringe into the wood.

Yozusk one, tree zero.

Cursing and shouting, Raven narrowly managed to slip away. Khem sprang to the rescue, introducing the rock warden's throat to the business end of his blade. The distraction was everything the Sith needed – Raven jumped again, this time onto the creature's back, and sank her blade directly into the unsheltered part of its neck.

The beast's dying scream nearly deafened her, and its last twitch sent the Sith flying yet again, but Raven couldn't care less as she sat up, spitting swamp water, and grinning like a maniac. Even Khem lifted his blade above his head and roared, abandoning the morose monster routine for an archaic gesture of pure triumph.

These were the moments were she truly felt... alive.

Still grinning, Raven activated her lightsaber again and started to cut its horns. Perhaps she'd adorn her weapon's hilt with a yozusk inlay... the material was nice, really, dark-brown and smooth to the touch. Raven proudly watched them in the red shine of her saber, while the water puddles below trembled from a small earthquake.

"Tulak Hord always found the best prey", Khem said, but sounded very satisfied for once. Raven didn't answer him, though. Instead, she stared again at the disturbed water, which swapped ominously in the dark red light.

"Run", she screamed, grasped her sword with one hand, the Dashade's shoulder with the other, and hauled herself up the mountain path, with as much muscle power and Force speed as she was able to summon.

"Tulak Hord never ran..."

A terrible roar pierced the darkness and drowned whatever Khem had intended to say. Heavy tremors shocked the ground, and Raven didn't have to pull the Shadow Killer with her as she ran; instead, Khem pushed her before him, faster and faster, just away from the infernal terror. Neither of them stopped or even slowed down a little until they reached the Wall, even though the tremors and the roars had subsided long before.

Trembling, Raven sat down, gasping and feeling very, very tiny – and very, very grateful for the strong military presence around her. She had gotten a glimpse of their pursuer through the Force as they fled in panic. It was a beast, that much was certain, and yet it wasn't – it was as large as the mountains.

Khem Val dropped down next to her. Raven had never seen the Shadow Killer show any sign of exhaustion, but supposed that there was a first time for everything.

"Tulak Hord never ran", the Dashade repeated, sounding uncharacteristically thoughtful, "but sometimes, he'd lull his enemies into a false sense of security, only to return later, with larger weapons."

Raven snorted, and padded her companion on his back. What weapon would be appropriate for hunting such a beast? A meteor cannon? Or a Harrower-class starship?

"Sorry for having you miss this snack, big guy", she said. "That thing might just have sated even your hunger for once."

Khem just shook his head.

"Too old and ancient", he answered. "Bad for the digestion."

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Kaas City, 6 BEA_

Instead of pursuing rumours of Kubaz spies in the jungle as she had intended, Raven spent the next day wandering through Kaas City, buying a new set of robes, tidying her small one-room apartment at the edge of the city, and strictly not thinking about anything that had even remotely to do with fighting. She was glad that she had at least secured her trophy selection, with the notable exception of the yozusk horns. Her lightsaber might miss a fancy upgrade, but thanks to Captain Sarnova, she could cash in the jungle bounty and busy herself with her new crystal samples.

During the afternoon, Raven entered Lord Zash's library for a little light reading. She'd granted Khem some hours of free time as well, mainly to stop him from dying of boredom – with some heavy restrictions regarding the things he wasn't allowed to do, of course. Murder sprees were out of the question, for example.

Naga Sadow's writings... the chronicles of Ajunta Pall... even parts of the secret diaries of Darth Traya. Raven didn't need access to the Galactic Trade Network to know that many of the tomes were priceless. She sat down and read, until her eyes burned and she could nearly see the great heroes and villains of the past in her mind.

When the young Sith entered the real world again, it was evening. The citadel shone in the light of a thousand lamps, an angular monument to the Empire's glory.

Or so the marketing and propaganda ministers might envision it. Raven was more reminded of the People's Tower on Ziost, which she still detested with a passion. Empire's glory – ha. Oppression and tyranny, that was more like it.

And still she was working for a Lord of the Sith. Well, at least she was able to acknowledge her own hypocrisy.

* * *

Raven crossed the market and sensed a by now familiar pattern of sudden fear and surprise in the crowd before her. Good, this meant that she didn't have to search for Khem.

True enough, the Shadow Killer had entered Kaas City from the gates and made a beeline towards her. Raven smiled in greeting; she had gotten used to his presence, and protection. The face of the ancient assassin betrayed no emotion, but he fell in line without any complains and followed her through the city.

When Raven entered her apartment, she only wanted to crawl into her bed and sleep. Her head was still buzzing with new knowledge, and a thorough rest seemed highly desirable. Khem turned to the other side of the room, to his stone slab. Ancient and decorated with runes, it was easily the most valuable object in the room, with the possible exception of her lightsaber – and also the most impractical. Raven couldn't even start to comprehend why the Dashade would prefer such an uncomfortable resting place, but guessed that it was a comfort to him to cling to a piece of the past during sleep, when he had to cope with a strange and foreign future throughout the day.

But before the Shadow Killer settled in for the night, he turned again towards her and reached out, presenting her with a wrapped object.

"I serve", he stated, and, after a second, added his trademark, "for now."

But the latter sounded more like something Khem said out of principle by now; it certainly lacked his usual menace.

When Raven unpacked the gift, her room's lights were reflected on a dark-brown surface, which was hard, unyielding, and smooth to the touch – especially at the base, of course, where her lightsaber had cut through the horn.

Lord Zash expected her presence early on the next day, and Raven complied, but not before she had taken the yozusk horn to the next workbench in Kaas City, and augmented the hilts of both their weapons with the best inlays that she could master.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 6 BEA_

"A ship? You are too kind!"

Raven bowed deeply and beamed, just barely stopping herself from hugging her master. Forgotten were the fight with Darth Skotia and the revelations in the Dark Temple. Sure, she had taken her ancestor's warnings to heart, but right now, here, in Darth Zash's chambers, the tales of cursed artefacts and following betrayals seemed far, far away.

Freedom awaited her, the freedom of deep space, the opportunity to learn, to prove herself.

A chance, perhaps, to start her own quest in earnest – to transform the Empire, in whatever small way she could, towards a kinder philosophy.

For now, though, any galaxy-changing endeavours would have to wait. With the help of Khem and her new droid, Raven carried her possessions from her apartment to her ship – she wouldn't need the small home any longer.

Through victory, her chains were broken. She had won another part of her very own freedom.


	6. Red Reaper

_Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 30 BEA_

Victoria Kell was bored out of her mind. "Prepare for a journey", her master had told her, but you could only pack and unpack a bag so often without repeating yourself. Since longer trips through the jungle were out of the question, she had tried to enjoy the benefits of a short holiday in Kaas City, and failed completely. The dungeons, for example… Victoria liked introducing a captured Jedi to the dark side as well as any other Sith, but there was nothing fun nor sporting in tormenting petty criminals. The current set of prisoners was so boring that she didn't even waste one spark of electricity, or a single threat. Pathetic creatures, all of them.

Even the guards.

Especially the guards. Most of them seemed as keen on fainting on her sight as her would-be victims.

The markets were another option, naturally. At least if you liked shopping.

Victoria had never understood the fascination some people seemed to have for spending hours and hours in little, overfull rooms, which were either too warm or too cold, trying on clothing that was overpriced at best, and usually hideous. Sure, shopping for weapons was another story, but she wholeheartedly believed in crafting her own sabers, or at least directly watching any artisan who crafted a lightsaber for her. She wasn't about to take chances when it came to her security, and usually had special specifications and modifications for her main weapon of choice, anyway. That left shopping for darts, thermal detonators, throwing knives, flame throwers and the usual tools of the trade, but most if not all of that were also available through her own pyramid supplies. Better quality, lower price. Easy enough, this decision.

She had, of course, rebuilt her trusty SP-06. But this had taken only some hours, at least as soon as she had gathered all the components. It was probably a sign, Victoria thought, a small hint that she got her droids demolished far too often and was getting far too good in rebuilding them. But that thought evaporated in the mental heat of her general frustration.

Lord Kell had tried venting these frustrations. About twenty training droids, all in shambles, could testify to her efforts. But cutting down these sub-par stand-ins was a bit below her ideas of fun. It was simply no challenge. And none of her rivals were courteous enough to fill the void and attack her. Life just wasn't fair.

That left Dromund Kaas' night-life. Brawling with Mandalorians, a party here, a small fight there, something to drink, perhaps something more. It was common knowledge that Sith only got close to each other for very few things, and fighting was one of them. One of two things, in fact. But facing her new master's first mission with a massive hangover or a bad fit of chafing didn't really appeal to the assassin.

Victoria had even, for a second, contemplated to visit the library for a little research. The confused and scared whispers of her fellow Sith who had witnessed her laughing fit as she got a hold on herself still followed her.

But she had found something to eat, at least. With time enough on her hands to scare enough traders, she had taken a culinary tour through the whole Sith Empire's fast food domain, always hoping that some fool might try to poison her. But again, nothing had happened.

So Lord Victoria Kell, highly skilled Sith assassin of the Sphere of Mysteries, was sitting back in the Imperial Citadel, with her feet put somewhere on a conveniently-placed table, fighting a slight nausea, and reading through 'Marauders Weekly'. She had gotten hold of a paper version of the magazine, for that enabled her to fold little paper cruisers out of the discarded sites, levitate them, and shoot them with the Force. The floor of her room was slowly starting to fill with ashes, while dark fire filled her mind.

A characteristic mechanical chirp interrupted her solitude, and the door opened. Victoria stopped ripping out yet another site of the magazine, turned her head to check on the newly arrived distraction, and promptly had to correct her angle.

The Sith, no question there, was tall. And there was something about him that seemed to lower the general room temperature by about five degrees Standard.

Victoria had to make quite an effort to stop herself from laughing. Temperature manipulation? Come on. That was only one step above petty voice manipulation. Only fools fell for something like that, and only complete fools or amateurs would try it.

"Lord Victoria Kell? I require your resources in the name of the Imperial military."

Such arrogance. Self-assured, cold arrogance. And he had the gall to use her name. The dark fire in Victoria's mind grew as she stared at the intruder, all the while correcting and down-grading her bad first impression to an even lower second one.

He wore black. Shiny, full-polished black metallic armour.

Well, fitting. Only short-sighted, pampered fools would wear black to look impressive. Worse, it was one of _those_ armours. With _spikes_. How could anybody in their right mind choose spiky armour? It basically screamed 'I have no sense of fashion or anything, but I want to look imposing, and I have a lot of money'.

The seconds stretched, and the temperature seemed to drop another two or three degrees.

Slowly, like the big jungle cats that she admired more than she cared to admit, Victoria stretched and lifted her feet to the ground. Then she put on her most unconcerned face, forced the contempt out of her voice and tried for a tone of exquisite boredom.

"So, killed Darth Serpentis yet?"

Another second ticked off the clock. Victoria looked up again and saw that her uninvited visitor had tilted his head slightly. His face wasn't visible behind his mask, but she was quite sure that he was frowning.

"I have no time for power plays or games. You were ordered to…"

If Lord Kell's day had been a little more pleasant, she might have listened to her survival instinct, which was already yelling and signalling the rest of her mind to retreat. But instead, her whole frustration merged with the dark fire inside her, ignited in a blaze and flew through and around her, ready to serve her in the impending fight.

"If you didn't kill my master, then how dare you assume that you can give me orders?" Victoria spat, no longer trying to mask her wrath. She jumped up, grasped her lightsaber and ignited it…

… only to be stopped by the timely ping of her holo communicator.

The black-armoured intruder hadn't moved one muscle. He just stood there, silent, arms folded, and the temperature in the room dropped to a new low. Even the lights seemed… darker.

Oh no.

The sound of the communicator had broken through the haze in Victoria's mind, to the point that she again noticed her instincts. And those instincts now told her that it wasn't just active posing or the 'impressive Sith routine' that her visitor was adopting. Force energy was emanating around him, through him, not because he wanted to impress, but because it was a part of him.

When she was not mistaken, and she highly doubted it, she had just challenged a Darth.

Emperor's sodding backside. That wasn't really what she'd had in mind.

"Lord Kell?"

Darth Serpentis' holo image was a welcome distraction. Well, right now anything would have been a welcome distraction, Victoria admitted to herself, including a major earthquake or a convenient Republic invasion. She looked to the Sith again, then to her master, quite at a loss on what to say, and feeling a little stupid.

The old Sith cleared her throat.

"You might want to deactivate your lightsaber, Lord Kell."

"Er..."

From feeling a little stupid to thoroughly stupid in two seconds... Victoria hit the controls of her weapon as fast as she could, and dropped the saber as if it had burned her fingers. Her face was burning, too.

"Master...", she started, not really sure where she was going, but Serpentis just beamed at her, eyes twinkling.

"Well then, now that we are all here and have our mutual attention, let's get started", her master smiled. "Lord Kell, this is Darth Fortis, one of the best strategists of the Empire. The mission against Darth Ikoral is his to command; your assignment is to offer support, especially with regards to your training in archaeology and knowledge of Sith mysteries."

Victoria tried to swallow, but her mouth felt too dry all of a sudden. She knew better than to protest; her master was still smiling, but she saw steel behind Serpentis' red eyes. Still, this definitively wasn't a good idea at all. She looked to the other Darth, who continued standing like a statue, but averted her eyes again, half-hoping that he might oppose the idea.

"Very well."

The two words were delivered with a quiet vehemence that spoke louder than any threat the black-armoured Sith could have uttered. It was the kind of voice that bypassed the brain and imprinted itself directly on the nerves, ordering them to obey and daring them to imagine what the alternative would be.

Victoria looked up again, while trying to find some sort of half-apology that would somehow allow her to save face and salvage the situation, but only saw a black-clad back and then the door. A second later, and she was alone with the holo image of her master.

The young Sith dropped down on the chair she had occupied just minutes ago, when her greatest concern had been spotting spelling mistakes in a bad magazine. The temperature in the room was rising again, but she started shivering nevertheless.

"Well, yes, this might have gone a little better", Serpentis commented. The old Darth was still grinning.

Victoria glared at her master. She knew this kind of smile...

"You deliberately set me up", she stated, not accusingly, but knowing that it was the truth. Serpentis just continued smiling.

"I wanted you to get an unbiased impression", the Darth answered. "But I am confident that you'll find working together easier than you might think. Darth Fortis is thoroughly capable, both with a lightsaber and with the Force. He's one of the finest warriors of the Empire, and not one to hold a grudge."

Victoria shook her head. "I all but challenged him, Master", she confessed. "You sure that he'll just ignore that?"

"I am sure that he'll do what is best for the Empire", Serpentis answered, "and right now, this is to end the threat of Darth Ikoral, with your support. I do expect you to fully support his mission, Victoria Kell."

Victoria flinched at the sound of her name, recognizing the rebuke.

"Anyway, about Darth Ikoral", the old Darth continued, "he was a great man of pure Sith blood, decorated by the Emperor and honoured for his might. He lived like royalty a century ago, when purebloods carried unparalleled prestige and the Empire remained hidden."

Victoria frowned.

"I am not familiar with him", she admitted, now wishing that she really had used her time to visit the libraries. "Anything in particular that he has accomplished?"

"They say that the pureblooded Sith left behind were wiped out when we left for Dromund Kaas and rebuilt our Empire a millennium past", Serpentis explained. "But Ikoral believed purebloods survived outside the Empire, reduced to barbarism on forgotten worlds. Seventy years ago, Ikoral left in search of these lost Sith and never returned. Three days ago, we received this message from Lord Senu at his fortress on the edge of known space..."

Victoria watched the Zabrak Sith's last moments, and listened to the challenge of Darth Ikoral. Savage pureblooded Sith crusaders... The assassin had never really felt comfortable around the new alien Sith that had somehow managed to integrate themselves into the Sith order over the past few years, but she didn't really feel comfortable around anyone, really, and she disliked the haughty superiority of purebloods with a passion. If this Ikoral thought that his blood would save him, he was welcome to try, but she'd bleed him dry if she got the chance.

Plus, he was wearing a headdress that made Darth Fortis look like a fashion professional.

"So he must be executed before he strikes again, or wins followers", Victoria concluded.

Serpentis just smiled again, eyes beaming over the holo, with her face so weathered and scarred by the dark side that even the savage purebloods might have started to feel fear at her sight.

* * *

 _Vaiken Space Dock, 30 BEA_

Chandrila. Why even worry about a Republic world? Victoria shook her head as she paced up and down the walkway, past four of her chosen droids, waiting for the rest of the strike team. She'd seen the reports, and they were gruesome – Ikoral's troops were positively massacring the Chandrilan forces. But for each hour the savage Sith spent fighting, their strength would be diminished. Why hurry?

"We have a location on his dreadnought, but it will not last", Darth Serpentis' holo image prompted. Victoria rolled her eyes in exasperation; would it kill the old Sith not to read her thoughts just once?

"Well, it might", her master deadpanned, but became serious in a second.

"Kell, the mission is dangerous. Take care, watch your back, and above all, trust your allies. You are here because Ikoral's vendetta must be stopped; you are one of the very few who are capable. I expect to see both you and Darth Fortis again. That's an order."

Serpentis stopped, but didn't end the call right away. As Victoria watched her master's face, she was astonished to see warmth in her dark-red eyes.

Caring?

 _Worry_.

"Do not die, young dragon", the Darth said, and the image vanished.

Until now, Victoria hadn't worried much about the mission. Killing was something that came naturally to her, it wasn't something she contemplated about. Usually, people who stood in her way ended up as corpses. But now, with the image of a troubled Serpentis fresh before her eyes, fear started to grow inside her.

"Lord Kell."

Victoria spun around, but the sudden drop in temperature told her as much as the impossibly calm voice. The leader of their little strike team had arrived, clad in black as last time, and obviously not interested in small talk, as he immediately stepped past her and was now entering data into a console.

What should she say? How to apologize for nearly attacking him out of... well... boredom?

"We have the coordinates of Ikoral's ship, the Red Reaper. Let's do this for the Empire", Fortis said, composed, nearly serene, but with an undertone of death bells, and walked past her again. Victoria wondered if he ever wasted so much as one word or one simple movement.

"Murder and mayhem await", she sighted. This would certainly be an interesting mission.

* * *

 _Chandrila Orbital Station, 30 BEA_

Chandrila was a mess. The shuttle that carried their strike team to the orbital station had barely time to open its doors when a whole hoard of half-dressed Sith started to charge them. Victoria jumped out, drew her saber and smelled blood. Dark red strains covered the ground, and also some of the faces of the red-ridged conquerors that were running towards their position. Some even appeared to be... gnawing.

The Sith assassin felt her stomach lurch. She didn't care about the fate of some unfortunate station defenders, especially Republic ones, but now, that she had a better view of their corpses...

Yikes.

"Open fire, defensive formation Aurek Three!"

Well, at least one of the team was able to keep a cool head in a crisis. Victoria joined her droids in following Fortis' order and shot lightning at the nearest Sith Zealot, switching to the next effortlessly when he went down screaming. Then she ignited her blade and started to hold back the next savages in line from the troopers behind her, all the while listening to the soothing sounds of her SP droids' blaster fire.

The whole skirmish didn't take longer than some minutes, but Victoria was gasping for breath at the end nonetheless. The pureblooded Sith fought with the fervour of fanatics, and didn't know the concept of retreat.

At least now they knew the concept of failure.

Victoria looked around, but saw no fatalities among their own group. SP-01 had been hit, but not severely, and three troopers were sitting on the ground, but all of them could still move. Fortis was busy orchestrating the defence of the shuttle, and distributing medpacs; the young Sith joined his efforts by checking the victims around her and donating some unused Republic supplies to their cause.

As they continued to force their way through the station's corridors, Victoria started to develop a grudging respect for the skills of their leader. Darth Fortis' armour might be ugly, but he surely knew what he could do with it, and the same was true for his red blade. He wasn't one to back down from a fight, but kept the attention of the enemies on himself, which increased the chances of survival for the rest of the troops immensely.

What did Serpentis say? Oh yes, Fortis was one of the top military strategists. Lord Kell knew Darth Azamin, the head of the Sphere of Military Strategy, and could only congratulate him on his choice of an apprentice.

Not that she was ever going to admit it, of course.

* * *

By the time the strike team reached the air lock of the ancient Sith dreadnought, Victoria was fuming. Two of her droids were down, a third damaged, and the fourth was only standing because Darth Fortis had done... something... with the Force, which had basically melted the last five attackers who had surrounded her and her mechanical bodyguard. She had suffered a minor injury herself, but the pain only helped her focus her rage – her fighting skills were not impeded.

All of the troopers and Sith they had brought with them were still alive, but in some cases only barely. Victoria counted, and counted again, but no matter how hard she tried, the result was poor; less than half of their strike team was truly ready to go on. And while they had beaten quite a number of Ikoral's forces, the worst part was still sure to come.

"Hold this position. If all else fails, retreat and report to the Empire. Lord Kell, with me."

Victoria stared at the Darth and wondered for a moment whether she had hit her head and was just hallucinating this order, or if he was truly mad.

"Are you _insane_?" she all but shouted, too worried to respect proper decorum. The black figure before her turned and Victoria felt the temperature drop yet again, but for now she was in the right mood to face down the Emperor, if necessary.

"In case you didn't notice, those purebloods all but ate us alive", she hissed, and stopped herself in time from adding 'literally'. There was no need to appear hysterical, after all. The young Sith squinted her eyes and stared at the black mask before her, half-realizing that any and all chatter behind her had stopped and the whole station was deadly quiet.

"I am down to one functional droid", she continued, "and when the battles in this station are any indication, we will last for perhaps thirty seconds inside the actual ship of this Ikoral Darth person. I am not risk-averse, but what you ask is not about risk, it's just not possible. There is simply no way we can just storm this ship with two lightsabers and one blaster, and even so much as hope to get a glimpse of Ikoral's guards, let alone the man himself."

The silence around her had gotten so heavy that Victoria might have started to worry, had her blood not pounded so loudly through her ears. She stared into the unmoving mask, willing Darth Fortis to give in to reason. There was no chance that this...

"You misunderstand. Your droid will stay and protect the entrance. Your task is to remain in the shadows and help with possible artefacts. I will challenge Ikoral's Sith."

Victoria gaped.

"You _are_ insane", she stated, but couldn't really stop the hint of pure awe that crept into her voice. Finding somebody that far gone was rare, truly. And she sensed that the Darth wasn't joking. He really meant what he had said.

Mental. Madness. 'Differently rational' didn't even begin to cover it.

Well, the only upside was that he didn't seem to expect her to die with him. Hiding in the shadows was child's play to her, at least if a two metres tall distraction was drawing all the attention. She'd be back at the station in less than two minutes.

Still…

"Hey!" Victoria yelled, again directed at the Darth's back, which was starting to become a cumbersome habit. Fortis was already busy at the entrance of the airlock, cutting through the metal and forcing his way inside. He didn't answer, but stopped his movements for a second, waiting for whatever she had to say.

But what did she have to say?

Victoria put her hands on her hips and tried hard not to bare her teeth.

"Listen", she growled, "Serpentis made me promise to keep you alive, and I happen to like the crazy tuk'ata lady. A bit. Or so. Not the point, anyway. But this task would be a little easier if you weren't so keen on committing suicide by cannibal berserks. Want to take the time to squeeze some hot sauce into your blasted armour, for their convenience?"

Lord Kell had been wrong. What she'd considered to be deadly silence a minute ago was nothing against the purest absence of sound that all but deafened the station now. The very small voice that belonged to her common sense nudged the rest of her brain and winked, indicating that her choice of words may not have been the most appropriate, but now it was too late. Her gaze was fixed on the black mask that slowly started to fill her whole vision.

Cold filled every fibre of the assassin's being, as she felt the full attention of the Sith Lord before her for the first time. Her heartbeat thumped uncomfortably in her throat. Something in the very air itself became wrong, thinner somehow, and the colour seemed to bleed out of her perception. Was this what it felt like when death was near?

"Hot sauce?"

It was Fortis' voice, and yet it wasn't – its typical undertones of gravestone echoes at midnight were missing. Instead, there was a fine trace of amusement audible. If Victoria wasn't mistaken, the Darth had even shaken his head slightly.

"Hot sauce", she confirmed, trying to sound like she hadn't survived a near-death experience during the last seconds.

Darth Fortis shrugged. Or she was hallucinating. Probably the latter.

"Then I suggest you come and fulfil your master's wish", he said, reached out with his hand, and ripped out the entrance door effortlessly through the Force, before boarding the Red Reaper without so much as another look. As if it was the most natural thing in the universe...

"Mental", Victoria commented, more to herself than anything. But she followed the black-armoured figure into the ancient star ship. And somehow, strangely enough, the temperature around them seemed to become more comfortable, despite her datapads' sensory evidence to the contrary.

* * *

 _Red Reaper Dreadnought, 30 BEA_

"Look out!" Victoria yelled, as yet another chest exploded next to their position. She heeded her own advice and rolled out of the way, but soon noticed that she could have saved her breath. Their opponent, a Lord Kherus, self-proclaimed 'Disciple of Komok-Da', whatever that might be, liked to hear himself talk. And introducing himself at the top of his voice. And throwing things. Chests, mostly, but also his weapons, and, on one occasion, even a part of the ceiling. But whatever the pureblood tried, Fortis was faster. It didn't even look as if the Darth was striving for speed or agility, but he always appeared at the optimal position to strike, to block, or to hinder the savage freak in any and all ways possible.

Victoria was now fully convinced that her ally was crazy.

That didn't stop her from acknowledging that he was good. Uncannily good, in fact. He had crashed through the first waves of defenders with the relentlessness of a thunderstorm, and left a fitting number of corpses with lightning marks behind. Lord Kell had taken her share of enemies down as well, but always from the shadows; Fortis, however, basically took all the fire, and still managed to prevail.

Victoria had heard stories about Marka Ragnos, and routinely scoffed at the legends of the unstoppable juggernaut. Slowly, very slowly, she was getting ready to admit that there might be some grain of truth to those tales.

Finally, the giant pureblood fell. Victoria kicked the corpse for good measure and eyed the two sabers that now laid wasted on the ground. She didn't take them, though. Who knew how good those weapons really were, or which traps they might hold. And violet wasn't her colour. Definitely not. She pondered taking the Lord's headdress for a scarecrow, though, just in case that she ever settled down and got a garden of her own. Alternatively, it might serve her well as a blaster target…

"Son of a k'lor'slug… Hey! Wait for me!"

Lord Kell cursed, loudly, and hurried on, as the distinctive sounds of battle filled the next corridor. Obviously, a certain somebody didn't even waste a second of his time for looting.

* * *

Laser canons, purification droids, repair droids. Quite a lot of their next opponents clanked when they moved. And they did move, Lord Kell made sure of that. With a wicked grin she threw another Force wave through distracted bolt heaps, and smiled at the resulting cacophony.

"Droid ahead."

Fortis' voice caught her attention, if only because those words were among the first things that he had actually spoken since entering the dreadnought. But Victoria only laughed.

"Let it come", she cheered, "the more, the merrier!"

"Kell…"

Gracefully, the assassin jumped over the next barrier, right up onto the Command Deck. Exhilaration and excitement flew through her, together with the power of the Force, making for an intoxicating combination. She lifted her dual blade, ready to strike down the opponent, and stumbled back in near-shock as she finally noticed what had made Fortis break his silence in the first place – that droid was huge.

 _Huge_.

And both of its giant blaster cannons were directed at her face.

Victoria realized, on some distant level, that she wasn't going to make it. That didn't stop her from trying to get away, though. She pushed herself with the Force and evaded the first stream of energy by inches, but got caught by one of the droid's legs.

Tripped up by a colossal tin can. What a way to go.

And now, to add insult to injury, she even heard laughter. Lovely. More of the pureblood savages were on the bridge, and they didn't look like they required hot sauce at all.

"Are you ready to bow to the glory that is Darth Ikoral, human?"

Victoria blinked and stared directly into the droid's second blaster cannon. It gleamed with an entirely unhealthy red shimmer.

"I'd rather dive through all three Chandrilan hells in a pink swimsuit", she hissed, and shot a ball of lightning in the general direction of the speaker, pretty sure that she wouldn't get time enough to aim, anyway. But when she heard a scream and noticed that she was still breathing, albeit shallowly, she risked a second glance at the deadly droid.

The whole giant lump of hardened metal was floating peacefully in the air, rotating in a net of dark Force energy, and aiming anywhere but at her.

Lord Kell might have been tempted to just stare at the unexpected sight, but for once, her instincts and reflexes did more than endanger her life. Red fire burned through her mind, through her nerves, from her fingertips, engulfing her in energy and filling the void between her and her foes with electricity. She struck and struck again, at the droid, at the purebloods, all the while channelling her panic, fear, wrath and thirst for vengeance like she never had before. Bowing to a fanatic? Ha. Only to take his headdress for a target dummy.

Victoria noticed the hum of a lightsaber next to her, but it was vague, obscure. Everything became a blur. When she had finally no energy left in her, and the world became wobbly and unsteady, she noticed something black before her eyes, and some unfamiliar weight on her shoulder.

A word scratched at the back of her tongue. A name…

"Fortis?"

Yes. That was his name. Victoria was almost sure.

She heard a sigh, and that made no sense whatsoever, but still more sense as what came next.

"Pink swimsuit?"

Pink what? Oh. Yes. Chandrilan hells.

"Pink swimsuit", she confirmed, with the corner of her mouth twitching in what might have become a smile.

Victoria didn't even notice hitting the ground before passing out.

* * *

Awakening to the sound of blaster fire is usually a bad way to start the day. Awakening to the sound of lightsaber clashes, while being unceremoniously dragged out of harm's way by one's own throat, is even worse. Victoria coughed, cursed, calculated her options and channelled the Force, all in quick succession.

At least this was what she tried to do. Since the Force didn't comply, and her brain felt like a wrung-out sponge from trying, she busied herself throwing her collection of thermal detonators at the last of the savage Sith to clear some space for Darth Fortis.

The Sith warrior hadn't even managed to cut down all remaining twenty assailants while she was down. What a show of weakness.

Victoria sighed. Her sarcasm didn't even remotely convince herself.

The young Sith got up carefully and tried again to call on the Force. She felt something, but it was obstructed, damped… weakened. Frozen hells. This was not good.

"Do not overreach yourself. The exertion will pass, but for now, it will affect your connection to the Force."

Lord Kell rolled her eyes at her part-time bodyguard, but stopped herself from making any more snide comments. He had prevented the savages from turning her into their main course for the evening; that deserved at least a little conciliation.

"I know", she stated, tersely. Admitting weakness wasn't something she enjoyed.

"Darth Ikoral has taken control of the ship and uttered a challenge. If we don't continue the search, the mission will fail."

Victoria blamed her headache and her general state of drowsiness for not even wincing at Fortis' cool assessment of the situation.

"Could you, you know, just curse a little, now and then?" she asked. "Eh, don't answer. I'd probably need a Force barrier for that, and right now, that's a bit beyond my skill set."

But even with her attempts at levity, Victoria had to admit that the situation was grim. She was tired, and partly crippled without her usual level of connection to the Force, and while Fortis had somehow managed to avoid serious injuries till now, he must be getting exhausted as well. Going on was their only chance, though. Failure was not an option, not now, nor ever. Everybody knew the price of failure in the Empire.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and blue lights whispered through her mind.

Wait. What?

There was definitely… something. An echo, vague, but there.

Lord Kell jumped up and followed the trace. Faint Force energy reverberated from an ancient box, leading her to an old stone carving. She couldn't even start to guess why it was there, but she didn't care – the only thing that was important to her was the feeling of power that emanated from the relic. The Sith assassin knew similar artefacts; she had already unlocked quite a number for her own use. And the runes… she could read those runes.

Shelter in darkness. Veil of the Ancients.

Victoria beckoned Fortis over, grasped after whatever traces still connected herself to the Force, and pulled, feeding on the power of the lost cultural relic. She knew that it wouldn't last, but it didn't have to, as long as it lasted long enough. Borrowed strength surrounded her, ready to hide her from her foes. Both of them. They could make this work.

Hopefully.

"Fortis?" Victoria asked, with all the calm she could master. "If hiding and stealth increased your mission's odds by an absurd amount, would you risk the way of an assassin?"

Silence. Of course he wouldn't like the idea, but…

"Agreed."

… but he was rational. Pragmatic, even. That much Victoria had learned to count on.

Both Sith shrouded themselves in darkness and stepped forward, with the power of the ritual circulating through them, and neither the droids nor the next savage guardians noticed their figures in the shadows. Further and further they walked, unseen and unchallenged, past pyramids and ray shields, through a whole lab of cryogenic tanks with more purebloods inside than Victoria wanted to count, right up and into Darth Ikoral's meditation chamber.

The heretic Darth was expecting them. And he fulfilled her expectations in return, by wearing a crown even more hideous than those of his most tasteless servants. Victoria clenched her fist out of reflex, but the familiar sensation of electricity wouldn't come.

The assassin allowed herself a frown as she spun around and scrambled the door controls behind her with ease. This was going to be a highly political discussion, after all, and such things were best conducted in an atmosphere of privacy.

* * *

"It is over for you, Ikoral."

Victoria shadowed Fortis, as the Darth approached the pureblooded would-be conqueror in his meditation chamber. It wasn't really a threat, the Sith assassin thought; just a simple statement of facts, delivered in a voice that made her skin crawl. Their opponent, though, was not impressed.

"A fatuous fighter and his Force-blind lady friend. You are bold indeed, but foolish."

Victoria needed a second to adjust her vocal chords, which were interlacing in indignation.

"She is a Lord."

"I am _not_ his friend!"

Lord Kell grasped her blade and tried to lunge forward, but hit an invisible wall. An invisible, cold wall of Force energy that felt way too familiar by now.

"Let me through", the young Sith growled, ready to lacerate the pureblood Darth with her fingernails if need be. But the hidden ice wall before her would not melt.

"Kell, back to the entrance. Your task is done. This is an order."

Peace is a lie, peace is a lie, peace is a lie… But the familiar words did nothing to calm the assassin's mind.

"You've got to be joking", Victoria snarled, while trying to figure out a way to kill Ikoral and hit Fortis at the same time without using the Force. Darth Ikoral's facial expression got her attention, though. The leader of the savages was looking at both of them in a way she had last seen on Dromund Kaas, on the face of a particularly snobby noble who had just noticed that her silk shoes had hit a ball of Tauntaun dung.

"The Empire must be cleansed. It is the only way to glory", their opponent shouted. "Today you face a true Sith Lord!"

Well, at least one of them certainly would do so. Victoria coughed as she struggled yet again to rise, while finding herself close to the entrance after being pushed back by what felt like a cruiser's bow wave. Peace is a lie, peace is a lie… Fine. Let the two-metre piece of charcoal fight his own battle, if he was so intent on doing so. She could busy herself staring at a wall, for example. Or practising curse words. No problem there.

Some seconds later, Victoria's sense of realism managed to slip a short note to her conscious mind that told her this approach was probably the only chance for her to leave Ikoral's meditation chamber alive. The Sith shook her head in frustration. When they were done here, and as soon as her Force connection was restored, it was time for a little blood bath.

Until then, she'd enjoy the show.

When Victoria focused her attention on the fight, she was surprised to see that it was still going on. The young Sith had gotten too used to Fortis' seemingly effortless victories against Ikoral's hordes. It seemed that the ancient crusader wasn't just talk, after all.

"Emperor's earwax… Duck!"

And the ancient crusader wasn't alone, either. Victoria shouted her warning just in time to make Fortis miss both his next strike, but also a stream of lightning that was shot by one of two red-skinned twin savages, who had appeared from the back of the room. The other red reinforcement managed to hit her ally with the Force, but the black armour again proved its usefulness.

Still, this was starting to look like a disaster in the making. And Victoria's connection to the Force was remaining as good as non-existent.

The assassin took a deep breath and weighted her options. It was time for desperate measures, which meant trying to exploit their enemy's weaknesses, if possible. So, Ikoral… Arrogance? Check. Pathological need for posing? Likely.

Victoria leaped forward, this time without hitting an obstacle, and dashed past Darth Fortis.

"Don't act", she whispered, lifted her lightsaber, and threw the dual blade, directly at Darth Ikoral's face.

For all intents and purposes, this was a stupid manoeuvre. Victoria might have had a chance to take out one of Ikoral's chosen Sith, but attacking the Darth from the front had about as much promise for success as an ice cube had for rolling through Tatooine's deserts at noon without melting.

Ikoral's own blade hit her weapon, and threw it to the ground. A second later, Victoria found herself back to chest with the commander of the Red Reaper, her own weapon's hilt directed at her temple, and immobilized through the Force.

"Pathetic", the pureblood commented, and switched his attention back to Darth Fortis. "This battle ends now!"

For one small part of a second, which felt like a large part of eternity nonetheless, nobody in the room made a move. Victoria tried to cross her fingers, but the energy that bound her didn't permit it.

"For the Empire", Fortis said, and his voice sounded like he was passing a death sentence.

Come to think of it, this was precisely what he did.

"I am Darth Ikoral! I am the Empire!" Ikoral proclaimed, and activated the weapon. Victoria dodged out of the way as the pureblood started screaming; maintaining a Force stasis wasn't the easiest thing while being electrocuted by a little security backup.

Rule number one: Never _ever_ even _think_ of touching the weapon of an assassin.

The young Sith smiled as Fortis threw his own weapon, easily beheading the pureblooded Sith leader, and then progressed to teach the two remaining opponents a thing or two about the power of the Force. Her weapon was lost, burnt out, but it had been worth it, if only for the expression of pure shock on Ikoral's distorted features. Victoria checked out the lightsabers of the pureblood and his servants, which by now lay on the ground next to their respective masters, but was careful not to touch them; she'd rather walk back through a ship of enemies without a weapon than risk poetic justice. She even refrained from shooting what little Force energy had flown back into her by now at the red Darth's unmoving figure, a task that required her whole willpower. Sometimes even Lord Kell took the time to think, though it might give her a headache. And wasting what little power she had on an empty gesture when a long walk back through enemy lines was ahead… no, that didn't seem like a good idea at all.

"Let us proceed to the station. The threat is ended."

Fortis. Victoria stopped comparing his voice to echoes in a midnight graveyard and followed the black figure, wondering what it might take to get a more emotional response out of him. Beating impossible odds was obviously not sufficient. But then she remembered that she didn't care.

* * *

Half-way back through the ship, Victoria stopped at Darth Ikoral's cryogenic tank collection. All of them were filled with hibernating pureblood savages. The assassin first tried to control the flood of disgust that threatened to engulf her, but then shook her head and checked her options. No lightsaber, little Force, out of detonators…

"Fortis?" she asked the back of the familiar black armour. "You didn't bring one or two bombs or something similar, did you?"

The Darth hesitated for a moment, but a second later, Victoria was staring in shock at the hilt of his lightsaber that had somehow found its way inside her hand. She looked up, close to cracking some kind of inappropriate joke, then wondered whether the weapon had some kind of twist as well. It looked ancient. But she was pretty sure that her ally wouldn't need dirty tricks to defeat her, at least in her current state.

Victoria cleared her throat. Suddenly, she felt a little self-conscious.

"Thank you", she said, and meant it. Lord Kell approached the first set of tanks, and ignited the borrowed lightsaber.

For her damaged SP droids and the hurt Imperial defenders…

The first life support unit exploded on contact with the red blade.

For each and every cut and bruise that she had suffered…

The second unit joined the first.

For each moment of fear, and wrath, and pure Force-less indignation that she had endured…

The third unit followed its brothers into oblivion.

And even for Fortis and his injuries, if there were indeed any, and a tiny, very tiny bit for the Republic troops that had stood against the savages and bled. Nobody deserved such a grizzly fate.

The forth and final life support unit shattered, and took the remaining pureblooded Sith with it. Victoria sighed. It wasn't the same as a true melee fight, but she was feeling a little better already. Killing crazy cultists always felt like tidying up the galaxy.

* * *

 _Vaiken Space Dock, 30 BEA_

"… and neither respect for the chain of command, nor for Sith politics."

Victoria rolled her eyes. She had opted to check on her SP droids first, if only to retrieve her backup saber, but guessed that she hadn't missed anything truly interesting during the first part of Fortis' report. She bowed to Darth Serpentis' holo image.

"Master", she greeted, and was rewarded with a genuine smile.

"Lord Kell", the old Darth nodded, and turned her attention back to the Darth in black. "I think I get the picture, Lord Fortis. So, all in all, how would you rate my apprentice's performance?"

Victoria stared into unmoving, black steel.

"Other than the mentioned shortcomings, Lord Kell's contribution was satisfactory", Fortis said, calm as ever, and walked out. Victoria closed her eyes, recited the Sith code and then, when she was sure that he was out of earshot, threw a small Force wave at the door.

"You seem to have made a new friend, young dragon", Serpentis commented, again with this twinkle in her red eyes. Victoria exploded.

"I have never been, nor shall I ever be, his friend", she spluttered, while feeling electricity starting to spin around her. The old Darth tilted her head slightly.

"Of course, of course", she said. "Anyway, your task is done. I'd like you to return to Dromund Kaas for a proper debriefing. Darth Fortis is returning to the capital as well. His ship will certainly provide fast and secure transport."

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "Unless it's the very last ship on this entire station, I'm sure I'll find some different means of _satisfactory_ transport", she murmured.

* * *

Two hours later, Victoria was sitting in the bar of a Gage-class transport, picking drinks at random and relying on SP-02 to both guard her back and the remnants of her other droids. The name of the ship screamed at her from a badge across the room.

 _Black Talon_.

She'd had enough of this colour to last a lifetime.

"Waiter? Another 'Empire's Explosive Expansion'!"

Victoria smiled as she closed her hands around her vibrant red drink. She didn't have any sorrows, far from it, no, definitely not, but she could look for the solution to possible problems at the bottom of a bottle, anyway. It was always best to be prepared.


	7. From the Grave

_Zakuul, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

"Don't be so surprised. Where you go, I go. We are indivisible now."

Raven took a deep breath and tried to relax her muscles, while ignoring the translucent figure before her for a moment. Surprise wasn't really the issue here, but the cold hatred that spread through her chest. Memories of Ziost, of Zakuul... No. The Sith envisioned the dark fire that threatened to engulf her mind, separated it with her mental hands into a thousand little flames, and stuffed its parts out of sight, to be quenched later. Too much was at stake now, a temper tantrum wouldn't help in the slightest. And sticking her lightsaber through Vitiate's face might be slightly therapeutic, but not very lasting.

Pity.

"The Gravestone", the former Emperor continued, calm as ever. "Not entirely what I'd envisioned."

Raven fixated a part of the ceiling and concentrated on deep breaths and memories of safer times. The sounds of birds in the night sky. The smell of Lea's herbal tea that her sister was so fond of. Slowly, the Sith started to feel more like herself again. But what now? She was standing in a foreign ship, with a god-like being of questionable intentions right up her nose, and her stomach was picking just this moment to remind her that it still hadn't forgotten the apple acids.

Well, vomiting was out of the question. Some things were a question of style.

"I thought you were just a dream", the Sith stated, opting for a neutral entry into the conversation. Best to keep Vitiate talking; whatever information he wanted her to hear could be analysed later.

A small smile played around the Eternal Emperor's features.

"I assure you, I am real, as is my intent to see you flourish", he remarked. And Raven listened, while Valkorion spoke, all the while trying to judge his intentions. She didn't bother hiding her impression, though. Whatever else he was, mad with power or simply mad, he couldn't be stupid enough to believe that she'd just trust him.

"I don't buy for a moment that you are on my side", Raven stated calmly. She knew that he knew, but wanted to make it official nonetheless.

Again, this ghostly smile. And Vitiate's tone... far too understanding. Far too patient. For a moment, Raven felt like an insubordinate child, who was gently chided by a wise adult.

"Were the roles reversed, perhaps I would be sceptical as well..."

Lord Kallig's eyes were caught on Vitiate's armour in the twilight, and the spell was broken. Regal, mighty, kingly, yes, he was certainly able to convey a certain image. But it was just that, an image. She had known other people, who truly possessed wisdom, people who she trusted. And none of them had needed such a fancy getup. On the contrary, one of the wisest she'd encountered had worn a slave's rags.

"… would you open your eyes to the truth?"

Raven watched impassively as Vitiate's vision vanished and her mind became her own again. She recognized his manipulation, the attempt at questioning her resolve, the 'what if he is not lying' routine. Now she only had to learn what Vitiate considered 'the truth', and its price. And when she had gathered enough information, she might even even find a way to introduce him to the business end of her saber. And perhaps force-feed him some new bog apples before that.

On this merry note, the ground started to shake.

"Get ready for a fight, people! They found us! Skytroopers breaching the entrance!" Koth exclaimed through the intercom, and Raven felt his unease though the Force. For now, Vitiate and his plans and schemes could wait – she had a ship to defend.

* * *

"Hey! Watch the ship!"

Raven dived out of the way as a large canister was shot through the corridor and crashed through two Skytroopers, while three others hit the ceiling.

"Then save your own sorry butt, Vortena", Lea grumbled, eyes still glowing with golden Force energy. Another crash, as gravitation reclaimed the metallic bodies, and Raven acted – with two strikes of her saber, the last intruders fell.

Or, more accurately, the last of the first wave.

"Compliment: Fine dismantling, master!"

The Sith gave HK a small smile. After talking to Vitiate, his cheery, casual ruthlessness was sort of refreshing. At least the droid wasn't playing any mind games.

"The Gravestone will be ready soon", Koth said, but he sounded worried. "I just need..."

Lea and Lana spoke at once.

"Don't say three minutes!" both exclaimed, with such vehemence and a glint in their golden and yellow eyes that Raven had to try hard not to start laughing.

"Come on", she said instead. "Plenty of enemies for all of us. Perhaps we can feed some of them to the spiders."

* * *

It didn't take three minutes, but only three seconds after leaving the Gravestone for Raven's good mood to evaporate. Zakuul dropships filled the air, and more Skytroopers closed in. The Sith knew that she could take a number of those with ease, and the same was true for her sister and her friend, but none of them was invulnerable, or immortal. If one single trooper got lucky, if one stray bullet hit its mark...

Best not to think about it, and to trust in the Force – it would help free them from this menace.

Raven drew her blade, and saw Lana's red saber and Lea's green one spring to life as well. Soon, the darkness of the swamp was filled with colourful reflections, small fires, and the sounds of battle.

When one of the huge control droids fell, Lord Kallig used the momentary calm to pant. She'd given much for a shower, a comfortable chair and a nice drink or snack right now, but there were already more troopers approaching their location. The situation was looking grim.

"There are too many!" Lana exclaimed, and Raven was inclined to agree. She wasn't going to admit it, though.

"We have to keep fighting", she said instead, and tried to remember Yavin 4. She had no hope of fully copying Grandmaster Shan's talent for battle meditation, but every little bit would help, surely. Drawing on her own determination, she filled the gaps of doubt in her mind with warmth and tried to spread the feeling to the rest of her allies.

Lea appeared out of nowhere. The Jedi attempted a smile, but the lines edged into her face spoke another story.

"Nice try", she whispered, "but I think you are giving Lana a headache. Moira..."

The Sith clenched her teeth. "I know. May the Force be with us all."

For a long second, virtually nothing dared to move, as the world itself seemed to hold its breath. Then...

"We have help!"

An explosion shook the ground; Raven had barely time to notice the remnants of the thermal detonator. A new figure had entered the fray, and whoever she was, she knew how to fight. A blur on a speeder, then another lethal detonation, an elegant jump, and a blue blade shone through the darkness.

Lord Kallig was usually not one to be easily distracted, at least not during a battle, but now, she couldn't help but stare at the newcomer's face. Clear blue-grey eyes gazed back at her, out of a face that seemed both old and young at the same time. Strange stones at the woman's temple reflected the light of her blue saber. For one second, Raven was reminded of Satele Shan again, as if her memories of the Jedi Master had somehow merged with their saviour. But the warrior wielded a single blade, not the Grandmaster's trademark double saber, and her aura... her aura was different. Dangerous. Most Jedi felt like a cold light in darkness, bright but calm, distant – the newcomer, instead, was burning with emotion. Determination above all, but also anger. And... something else.

Grief?

Time sped up again – any contemplation would have to wait.

"Lana", the newcomer greeted, without wasting a single word for small talk.

"You are late", the Sith countered, not sounding surprised in the slightest.

Well, then. Ever since waking up from a ton of carbonite, Raven had had more questions than answers; why break a perfect record? Obviously, her allies just telling her anything of use or relevance _before_ a catastrophic situation would be way too easy.

She suppressed a sigh.

"You got one of the Knights to switch sides", Raven commented, as her slight irritation transformed into appreciation. Blue-grey eyes bore into her own, and the young Sith felt... transparent, all of a sudden; as if the Knight could not only read her inner thoughts, but also survey the deepest pits of her soul. Worse, still, Raven got the feeling that the woman was making notes and compiling a thorough report for later.

"Not all of us blindly follow Arcann."

And her voice... Controlled and calm. Deep. Reassuring, in a way. The voice of somebody who had seen much, done more, and would continue to do so. Somebody you'd be glad to have on your side in an impending fight.

Speaking of which...

"More resistance. Knights!"

Raven didn't need Lana's warning; she had woken from her contemplation at the first sound of the approaching Zakuul dropships.

"I do hope you are up to fighting you own, Senya", Beniko remarked, darkly. But her tone was nothing in comparison to that of her new ally.

"My issue isn't with them, but if they're going to stand in my way..."

Lord Kallig's fantasy was far too quick in supplying appropriate pictures. Their predominant colour was red. She coughed.

"I see you've found another pragmatist", Raven said, if only to break the silence. That got her a look in grey-blue that almost made her wince.

"Stow the chatter. Prove you can fight."

"Yep", Lea commented, with her usual sense for timing, "I dare say there will be enough enemies for all of us."

* * *

Even with Senya's help, the impending fight turned out to be gruesome. Raven allowed the Force to flow through her, as she used her lightsaber to block attacks, while pushing inattentive Knights into the nearest tree trunks. She had no time for subtlety. Ever now and then, golden Force waves crashed through the scene, and Lana's violet lightning found more than one mark, but still there were more Knights. Always more.

"Knights! Zildrog's Wedge!"

Raven banished inappropriate thoughts of cheese wedges from her mind, as she felt a shift in the Force. Metal seemed to rain from the sky, forming a near-impenetrable wall. Hectically, the Sith assassin looked around, but saw no allies. The Knight's manoeuvre had succeeded in separating them.

Lord Kallig squinted her eyes at the three opponents before her. _Three_. That was almost an insult. Did they really think that they could take her? The main problem was the other side of the wall, where Lana, Senya and Lea were now facing a severe opposition...

Time froze.

 _Froze_.

Raven's gaze suddenly passed through the solid metal, a switch that made her skin crawl. But worse than _how_ she saw it was _what_ she saw. Lana was facing a Knight in close combat, but her lightsaber was missing. Cold spread through Raven's veins, as she reflexively called on the Force to throw the enemy into oblivion, but found no connection. Like pounding against a glass wall, being able to watch, but not to interfere – a nightmare in the waking world.

And she had an idea on who was responsible.

"You are outmatched. Death is all but certain for your Sith friend..."

Vitiate's voice wormed it's way past her fear, his considerate, controlled voice docking directly at her nerves, offering a desperately-needed out.

"I could save her. I only require the briefest moment of control."

Control. Right. That was his price. And, at the same time, her greatest fear.

"Accept my help or watch her die. Choose quickly: time has not stopped."

Raven didn't spare a single glance at the ghostly figure beside her; her eyes were focused on the figure of the blonde Sith and the bronze-clad Knight before her.

"I'll never give in to you."

The words flowed from somewhere deep inside her soul, where fear held no power. The dead sky of Ziost, dark nightmare visions and a burned Imperial banner... Raven nodded, confirming her choice while blinking away the moisture in her eyes. It wasn't really a choice, after all.

"Very well", Vitiate said, and time sped up again. Raven stretched out her hand, channelling whatever Force power she could reach, trying to reach past the wall, but too late – a scream pierced the night. The young Sith clenched her teeth as she fought a sudden nausea; she still felt her friend's presence through the Force, but also her pain. Wishing that she had spent more time practising with her sister, Lord Kallig focused her mind and concentrated on just being there, on the other side, right to the point where the world cowed before her determination and her physical body phased through the solid obstacle.

The Sith assassin staggered. She hated the sensation of phase walking.

"We can do this! Keep fighting!"

Koth's voice was among the most beautiful things Raven had ever heard, tied with the sounds of dual blaster fire and HK's mechanical buzzing.

"They haven't killed you yet, come on!" the Zakuulan renegade continued. But the Sith's attention was focused on the other voice, the one she had feared to never hear again.

"Koth. Thank you..." Lana whispered, as both of them ducked out of harm's way. As it turned out, this was a wise decision – just a split second later, mayhem erupted all around them. Stones, logs, waves of swampy ground, the whole bog itself seemed to awaken, and intent on crushing their enemies. Raven jumped, as a number of boulders simply flattened her chosen opponents. She directed her Force lightning elsewhere, to one of the remaining targets, but soon, all Zakuulan troops were either dead or running for their lives.

Raven looked around, and drew a deep breath.

Or tried to, at least. It was more difficult as expected, with her back abruptly pressed against one of the metallic boards, and more than 170 pounds of armoured Jedi at her throat. She looked up and saw golden eyes, filled with both fear and fury.

"I felt his presence. Did he hurt you?" Lea asked, and Raven couldn't help but think that if Vitiate wasn't at least slightly afraid of the Barsen'thor now, he'd be before long. Rightfully. The thought was a little unsettling.

"He's gone now. He tried to tempt me into accepting his power, but to no avail", the Sith hurried to explain. "Please, Lea, calm down."

Raven would have bet anything that it was her tone more than her words which made the Jedi back off. But she sensed peace again, replacing the chaos of emotions she had felt just seconds before, both in her sister and herself. Still, before long, they'd need to talk, about Vitiate, the future, and everything.

The Sith would have rather faced all of the Knights alone instead, if possible. But for now, she could still stall for time.

"Is the Gravestone ready for takeoff?" Raven asked. She suspected that Koth wouldn't have left the ship otherwise, and was relieved to see him nodding.

"Far as I can tell", he replied. "Looks like we've got everyone. Let's go."

But Lana shook her head.

"No, wait", she interjected. "Where is Senya?"

Raven wondered the same thing. With her worry for Lana and then Lea, she'd lost track of the mysterious Knight.

"Excuse me? Where's who?"

Koth didn't have to wait long for an answer, as the person in question stepped into sight.

"Here I am. Let's move out."

Relief flowed through Raven, but that sentiment obviously wasn't shared by everybody in the group.

"Whoa, wait a minute. Hang on. She's your help?" Koth's voice dripped of into a slightly hysteric tone. "If you think I'm letting that piece of work on my ship, you're out of your..."

There was something about his remark that gave Raven pause.

Refusing an ally, or at least somebody who had fought and bled at their side?

 _His_ ship?

"Interjection: Many more hostiles are approaching! Permission to defend with extreme prejudice?"

At least HK had his priorities in check. And not for the first time. In moments like these, Raven found it easy to understand why Lea's and her mother had surrounded herself with a small army of elite stealth infiltration droids.

Lana shook her head. "No more fighting. We must leave Zakuul."

Luckily, Koth wasn't immune to reason.

"I'll prep the engines", he agreed. "Come on, Lana."

But the Sith Lord declined his suggestion, just as Raven wondered on how in the galaxy the engines were supposed to lift that heavy weight out of the dirt.

"I'm needed out here", she explained, "the ship will never pull itself up from the muck. We'll have to give it a push. We can do this."

"If not, all the work on the engines was for nothing, and we can't let that happen – Koth's music was just too awful", Lea quipped, her usual irony and resilience resurfacing after the moment of insecurity in the swamps.

Raven closed her eyes and felt the Force, both in herself and the three women beside her. Lana's cold dark flame, Lea's warm golden light – and now also Senya, sharp, determined, hard to read. She wondered for a moment what the others might see and feel when she called on the Force herself. Crazy Sith Lord with an unhealthy dark-light mix, perhaps?

"Open your minds to the Force and to each other. If we stand alone, we'll fail. But together we will succeed."

Raven wasn't sure if she'd heard Lea snickering at her little motivation speech, but didn't pay attention any more, as the mental strain became taxing. Their efforts were not without effect, though. Slowly, majestically, the ancient star ship rose.

It would have been an even more regal sight, if its rise hadn't been accompanied by the release of a giant bubble of fermenting swamp gas. The whole area promptly smelled like a giant sewer on Kaas City's outskirts, on an especially warm day.

Raven had once hunted bomb-distributing dissidents through one of those sewers. The money she'd made was soon spent on yet another set of robes, because her old ones weren't reusable after that particular endeavour. But, as they said, virtue was its own reward.

On second thought, whoever 'they' were, 'they' had clearly never lived on a budget.

"Now get in here so that we can finally get moving!"

Koth's voice stirred her from her memories. Raven didn't need another invitation, but joined the others in running towards the mysterious ship.

* * *

"How about that? My Gravestone can move!"

 _His_ ship again. Interesting. And, somehow, worrying. But that was paranoia, likely. Raven shook her head; the last night had been long and trying. Not to mention sleepless. It was only natural for a mechanic to feel pride for his work.

"Considering now we found it, I'd say you've outdone yourself", she praised Vortena, and earned a smile in return.

"Team effort", Koth corrected modestly. "I'd say everybody outdid themselves."

Red lights and the sound of sirens cut through the general mood of relief.

"Incoming! Dropping out of hyperspace! It's..." Koth hesitated to give the terror a name.

Raven shut her eyes, as the scene before her eyes merged with one of her worst memories.

Not again. Please not again.

"It's a lot", Vortena finally finished. It was an understatement.

Senya had less problems with acknowledging the reality around them.

"The Eternal Fleet", she stated, defiant, but with a hint of defeat.

For some seconds, Raven just stared at the angular ships that filled the whole sector before them. Whoever commanded them, and she had an idea who it was, was either posing, or giving them extra time to contemplate their impending doom.

She'd really like to push both Arcann and Vaylin into the swampy, murky, muddy, stinky hole that their ship had recently vacated. Raven concentrated on that picture, imagined brown strains of dirt on their pristine black and white clothes, and bog spiders in Vaylin's hair. The image helped against her rising panic.

Fire. Outside, and inside. The fleet had started its attack.

"… and we need a gunner!" Koth exclaimed.

Right. Best to die fighting. Raven clenched her teeth. Death before surrender...

"I'll take care of it", she said, and hurried towards the guns, all the while pretending that the situation didn't scare the living Force out of her. The omnicannon's controls sprang to life under her searching fingers, and red circles appeared around her target of choice.

 _There is no death, only the Force. And it shall free us_. With that thought in mind, Raven pushed the button.

Energy. Strange, foreign energy. The assassin felt it, under her fingers, around her, in her. A weird kind of music seemed to reverberate through her, just at her threshold of hearing. What was happening?

The young Sith looked out of the windows in time to see a massive beam of energy, coloured in ghostly-green, which jumped from their ship towards the capital ship that she had chosen for what was likely their last statement of defiance. The stream of energy hit the Eternal Fleet ship's shields – and went right through. Raven stumbled back as the Gravestone was hit by more fire, but kept her eyes on the impossible scene before her – there was an explosion, naturally, but then, the sickly green light spread.

And destroyed everything that it touched.

"Wait... five targets... ten... I can't keep up!"

Koth's voice was filled with wonder, and excitement.

What was happening? What had they unleashed?

"It's real. We could take the whole fleet", Vortena stated, with a level of satisfaction that was completely antipodal to the horror Raven felt.

"Statement: The hyperdrive now meets minimum functionality requirements."

Away. Just away from it all. This, for once, sounded like a very, very good idea. Raven stumbled again, as a different wave hit her, this time through the Force. It was an echo, far away, of purest rage.

* * *

 _Wild Space, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

"No no no!"

Raven had taken some seconds to regain her composure in the main battery, but when she reached the bridge, Koth was about to lose his own.

"The hyperdrive worked. One time. Omnicannon's fried, too. What a mess..." he lamented.

From a neutral point of view, these news were really bad. Raven could acknowledge that. But some small part of her was almost glad that the cannon was down. It just felt wrong.

Which was a majorly hypocritical thought, of course. Without that cannon, they'd be space dust, or worse.

"Should be able to make it to Asylum, but let's not hold our breath", Vortena continued.

"Who's being committed?" Raven asked. Headache or not, panic or not, morality qualms or not, some reflexes were too deeply engrained to ignore them.

She even got another smile out of Vortena. And a frown from Lana.

"Not that kind of asylum", the blonde Sith corrected, without offering additional information. But Senya filled the void.

"Asylum is a skyport", the Knight explained calmly. "A safe haven from Arcann's patrols."

Raven was grateful for the explanation, but Senya's words seemed to have reminded Koth that she was, in fact, still on board. He rose, and Lord Kallig braced herself for the worst.

"Was she really necessary?"

Predictably, Lana tried to defuse the situation.

"She helped us raise the Gravestone. She fought at our side", the Sith said, very calmly, and directed at Koth. But it seemed that she only added fuel to the flames.

"She also hunted me like an animal for years. She was Arcann's loyal Knight!"

Pointing fingers. Rising voices. Not good.

"I thought I was in service to Zakuul. You had abandoned your responsibilities!"

Senya's voice rose as well, her indignation clearly audible.

Time to play fire-extinguisher, before both of them burned down the whole ship.

"It sounds like you're both on the same side now. Whatever history you have, it's best to let it go", Raven said, with all the calm and conviction she could master. Koth stared at her, and Senya gave her another of her looks. Well, on the upside, both had stopped growling at each other. Instead, though, they were now mad at her. Great, just great. That was not quite what she had intended.

"You don't know what she's capable of. You weren't there."

"Do they know what you're capable of, Vortena?"

Raven took a deep breath and readied herself for a shouting contest, but Senya got a hold on herself before the situation escalated any further.

"If anybody needs me, I'll be... somewhere", the Knight said, with a hint of a growl still audible, and left. Koth, however, wasn't mollified by this.

"You could have at least consulted with me first", he complained to Lana, which was just the last straw to send even the pragmatic Sith over the edge.

"Yes, I wonder how that might have gone", she hissed, and turned away herself. Raven caught Lea's eyes and winked inconspicuously, jumping at the chance to get out as well.

Koth remained on the bridge, fuming.

"Absolutely! I'd be glad to fix the Gravestone by myself!"

Raven just shook her head as the door closed behind them. Whatever else the universe might have in store for her, she'd face it – but only after some hours of sleep.

* * *

The next morning didn't start with any explosions, gunfire, unexplainable feelings of certain doom, or other indicators of an impending catastrophe. Instead, there was a faint smell of baked carbs and fat in the air. Raven considered this a good sign.

She met HK on the way to breakfast and was pleased to hear that he was exploring and examining the Gravestone. If there were any traps or surprises on board, she'd rather know sooner than later, preferably still soon enough to avoid the worst backlash.

When Raven reached the galley, there were people inside it. The Sith was relieved to see that only the Zakuulan refugees were present, though. She needed to talk to the others, especially after the dispute from yesterday, but wasn't about to face either of them on an empty stomach if she could help it. So she spent a pleasant half hour eating and making small talk, getting to know the exiles, and reminding herself on what it felt to be human, without the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders.

Finally out of excuses for stalling any further, Lord Kallig steeled herself and approached the room her sister had chosen as quarters. Space, at least, wasn't an issue on their ship. The Barsen'thor was meditating, her features relaxed, golden Force energy flowing around her. Raven cleared her throat.

"Hey, sis", she greeted, and sat down next to Lea. The Jedi opened her eyes, and gave her a long, searching look.

"Moira", she answered, and sighed. "You've been avoiding me."

No point in denying this.

"I did", Raven nodded. "And so did you, didn't you? Besides, you have now addressed me by my given name twice within less than ten hours, which means that we've reached a level of worry and trouble that simply has to be reduced. Are you game to try?"

The hint of a smile played around Lea's mouth.

"Well, I can't guarantee anything. I could try cheating, though. Let's just see", she answered, but turned serious in a second. "I need you to promise me something, Moira."

Three times, now. This was not only a bad, but a very bad sign. But Raven knew what would come, had known it all along. She hadn't avoided Lea out of random, after all.

"I can't", she stated flatly.

"You don't even know what I was asking!"

"Don't I? I have seen your face in the swamps. You wondered the same thing as I did, when Vitiate tried to tempt me into accepting his power. What would have happened if he had chosen the target of his plot a little wiser? I like Lana, I'd given much to save her, or to spare her pain, but she's not you. As long as I still draw breath, I'll do anything to save you."

Golden eyes bore into blue, but for once, the steel in their gazes was evenly matched.

"You can't sacrifice a piece of your soul to this monster. Not for me, nor for anyone else. Should the time come, you'll have to let me die."

Raven clenched her teeth, and felt a certain soreness in her muscles. She was doing this far too often, lately.

"I can't", she repeated. "I just can't. And before you argue any further, just try to imagine being in my situation for a second. Could you give me the promise that you just asked of me?"

The silence told her all she needed to know.

"There is no death, only the Force", Lea quoted after some seconds. "Promise me this, then. If Vitiate tempts you again, don't let fear blind you. Lana didn't die, but was saved by Koth. Even if he hadn't appeared in time, you'd have reached them, too, and I was close behind. Either of us would still have had a chance to crush the Knight. The Emperor _wants_ you to accept his power, to give control to him, and therefore his assessment of a situation will be anything but objective when he speaks to you or when he shows you things. To be blunt: He might or may not lie to you directly, but he will do his best to trick you, and he has centuries worth of experience in doing so."

The Jedi drew a deep breath.

"Besides", she continued, "you might have noticed it by now, but I am not exactly helpless. Even when it might look like somebody is getting the better of me, I'll guarantee you that it's only a ruse. No need to invite world-eating ghosts deeper into your brain for that."

"Ha!"

"I assure you, I'm immortal."

Lea smirked that trademark I-know-I'm-talking-nonsense smile of hers, and Raven was tempted to believe her.

"I promise", the Sith said, finally. "At least the second thing. But you better make sure that you're true to your word, right? No dying."

"Sure, sis. Anything for you."

Both of them sat in silence for some seconds. It was comfortable, but there was still something else on Raven's mind.

"I have to ask something from you, too, Lea", she said, and felt the cold seeping into the room. The Jedi, who was at least as sensitive to emotions as Raven herself, jerked.

"No. Not even when Athra's deeps freeze over", the Barsen'thor hissed, and the Sith rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Lea, you know I tend to confuse the hot and the cold Chandrilan hells with each other, anyway. But that's not the point. Should Vitiate possess me, you'll have to kill me. You're likely the only one that has a chance. And I'll prefer checking whether your Jedi code is right about its last line, rather than being a prisoner in my own skull and watching the former chief Sith devour the whole universe."

Golden eyes versus blue eyes, second round. Raven frowned.

"And don't bother repeating my lines from five minutes ago, because you know I'm right", she said, but her insides didn't feel well at all. Lea shook her head.

"This reminds me of something I learned years ago, when I was still a Padawan", she finally said. "If there is a situation, and you face a choice, and both option A and B are equally bad, you can either despair and grieve, and choose one of them, or you can take a step back, and check whether there is an option C."

She grasped Raven's hands and pressed them, once.

"I'll remain watchful, and if Vitiate should try to posses you, we'll combine our not inconsiderable Force powers and our tendency for bad humour, and burn the pouting phantom out of your mind. We are the children of Darth Ignus after all, and she got the nickname 'Korriban's Flame' for a reason. And when the former Emperor meddles with time and space again, and pretends that I am in danger, then call him some names, and transfer some of your Force power to me. Just to be on the safe side."

Raven felt warmth spread through her, replacing the cold from before. She knew that her sister felt it, too. The Jedi smiled.

"See? Unity. Nothing can really harm us, as long as we stand together."

Lea cleared her throat. "But I'm telling you, I'm looking forward to mop the floor with any and all idiots who try to do so. Was there something else on your mind, Sith-sis, or have we exhausted the doom topics for today?"

Raven scratched her head. "Depends on your definition of 'doom', I'd guess. I just ate the last of those violet swamp pears that you liked so much for breakfast; do you mind? Just kidding! Just kidding..."

* * *

"Why can't there be a maintenance manual... Hey, can you cut the power? Right over there."

Raven shrugged and complied, hoping that Koth had some minutes to spare for talking. Luckily, the interfaces of the Gravestone were pretty straight-forward to use.

"Thanks. Wouldn't want to electrocute myself on top of everything else."

With a loud beep, the power went out. Raven hoped that she'd be equally successful in preventing other kinds of explosions. She coughed.

"I wasn't sure you'd take time to eat with the Gravestone still in need of repairs, so I brought you something from the kitchen. Fried fillets of flabby fruits, and swamp salad a la surprise."

"Hey, thanks! This smells delicious."

Raven watched Koth devour the meal with a smile. Never risk arguments on an empty stomach...

"She's really something, this ship", Koth remarked, when he had finished his breakfast. "But no one's been taking care of her."

The Sith wasn't sure if she should be worried – or amused.

"You've grown attached rather quickly", she answered, which kind of reflected both emotions.

Koth activated the power switch again.

"No offence, but it's the Gravestone that will save the galaxy from Arcann", he said with a passion. "Not you, not me... definitely not Senya."

The last words were delivered with a growl again. Well, it had been highly unlikely that some hours of rest had just miraculously resolved all conflicts, after all. But Raven was curious.

"What did Senya do to earn this grudge?" she asked, hoping that talking about it wouldn't set Koth off further. Vortena frowned, but remained calm. Relatively speaking.

"She was ruthless", he explained. "After we deserted, she hunted us for months. Everyone on my crew bled more than once on account of her."

He pinched a sequence into the console, but slightly harder than necessary.

"I put all my trust in Lana, and she goes to Senya for help. She does not know what she's getting us into!"

There it was, Raven thought. It wasn't just anger at Senya, but also feeling left out by Lana. Disregarded, even. She should have brought more food.

"You really care about Lana, don't you?" she asked instead. Diversionary tactics sometimes had their uses.

Koth shook his head.

"It's not like you're thinking. We've worked together for years, and she's saved my life more times than I can count. So, I do what I can to return the favour. If that means storming into the Spire to pull some Outlander out of carbonite, well... that's what I'll do."

Even if it took more than three more minutes... Raven didn't suppress her smile.

"I'd be a frozen carcass if you hadn't", she nodded, and fought the urge to hug Vortena. Some inner voice told her that it might be best to avoid any and all ambiguous signals with regards to her personal preferences and interests. They already had enough drama on board, no need to risk... misunderstandings.

As soon as they reached Asylum, she needed a mailbox. No, a secure comm link. Both. What in all hells, Chandrilan or otherwise, was Theron doing right now? Lana had said that he had said that he remembered, which probably meant that he hadn't given up on her during the last five years. A grin tried to creep up on the Sith, and she swallowed it with difficulty. There were some advantages in sort of dating an awkward, socially inept computer tech nerd spy, after all.

Not that she was any better, all things considered. Their first dialogues had been close to a blushing contest.

"I have a good feeling, you know. We'll get Arcann", Koth said, and for once, Raven fully agreed with the Zakuulan renegade.

* * *

When Raven approached the next target on her list, she heard the tell-tale sound of crackling Force energy before even opening the door. Worried that some spiders, or worse, might have survived their scrutiny, the Sith hurried into the room, but calmed down again when she saw Lana roasting a re-purposed Skytrooper training dummy. Still, this didn't look very promising. For a moment, Raven wished that the blonde Sith also had a power switch, just like Koth's console.

"Damn."

Beniko stopped shooting her target with the Force and cursed, checking her injured arm. Raven had seen her sister heal the worst part of it, but neither the Jedi nor anyone else on board was a fully trained healer; using the last of their Kolto and ordering some rest had been the best they could do afterwards. Raven made a mental note to search for Talos Drellik as soon as she could. Aside from being a true friend and a person with a remarkably positive outlook, the archaeologist was one of the best healers that she knew.

And with all of them completely unable to fix something as simple as a straight cut through armour, they should probably also think about recruiting a talented armour-mechanic as well. Preferably somebody who also liked sewing. Starship mechanics would also be a priority; they needed to analyze the blasted cannon of horrors as soon as possible. For all Raven knew, this thing could have been just the instrument of doom that split the Rakata from their Force connection, or an equally powerful doomsday weapon that devoured the life of all people around...

"You should have Lea look at that again", the assassin advised, as she felt her friend's pain through the Force. Yellow eyes pierced the darkness, and Raven knew that it had been the wrong thing to say, or the wrong time for that suggestion. Likely both.

"I'll heal", Beniko said, with an undertone that stopped Raven from raising the issue again.

More lightning hit the dummy, until its helmet flew into the distance, and Lana turned towards her.

"I was right to reach out to Senya", she stated. "I hope you see that."

Raven didn't need much time to think about her answer; she had made up her mind on that particular issue before they even left Zakuul.

"She's a good fighter, she helped us raise the Gravestone... I'd say she's an asset", she said. The Knight's help had been invaluable during their escape. With the amount of fire they'd faced, Senya's presence may even have saved their lives. Her quarrel with Koth was nothing against that.

Lana nodded.

"And she doesn't give up, either. That was clear the first time I encountered her", she added. "We met shortly after I arrived in Wild Space. Senya was hunting Koth. I was hoping to learn your fate..."

The Sith paused for a second, and Raven knew that her friend was caught in her memories. Pain echoed across the room, and the young Sith winced; she'd have given much to just erase what had happened in the last years, and try again. Granted, this time with a larger fleet.

"We exchanged what information we could. This was all before I really knew Koth, of course. Years ago", Lana continued, and Raven couldn't hide her emotion.

"You were looking for me all that time?" she asked, without it really being a question. Her eyes, insufferable traitors that they were, started to feel funny again. Out of the corners of her eyes she saw that Lana dropped her gaze as well.

"We might not always agree, but you're my ally. I would even venture to call you my friend", she said, and, dark side corruption or not, radiated such an amount of pure caring that Raven had to fight her tears in earnest.

"Always was, always will be", she mumbled, and hugged Lana, while being careful to not put pressure on her injuries. Raven wasn't sure if friendship really was a passion, but she knew that for her, at least, it was a source of strength. And through strength, power. Through power, victory.

They would find a way to beat Zakuul, its master, and his impossible fleet. Plus any and all ill-meaning half-dead creepy Force ghosts with a penchant for lies, deception and mass murder.

* * *

After talking to Lea, Koth, and Lana, Raven felt drained to a point where she just wanted to go to bed and sleep some more. She really considered doing so, for the last days had shown her that it was wise to take any chance for rest that she got. There was still the mysterious Knight on her list of people she needed to speak with, though. And the strange chamber, with its weird obelisk-like structure, where Vitiate had addressed her... That room also warranted another look.

The Sith checked her datapad and noticed that she was in luck – Senya, too, was moving towards the dark chamber. The warrior chuckled slightly as she noticed the Sith's approach.

"I know. I couldn't help but take this place in, either", she said, and the difference in her voice and demeanour were like day and night when compared to before.

"Reminds me of a song I wrote", Senya added, and Raven nearly tripped. Just when she thought that nothing would surprise her any more...

"I'd like to hear that", she said, and tried to gauge the Knight's reaction. "Just a few bars?"

Senya shook her head, but seemed amused more than anything.

"Without accompaniment? I'm not that brave", she countered, with a smile playing around her lips. Until now, Raven hadn't been sure that the Zakuul Knight knew how to do so.

"You seem nothing at all like the person I met in the swamp", the Sith mused, while looking again at the woman before her. The shadows in the room hid some of the lines in her face, making her appear nearly ageless. And her eyes... her eyes glittered in the darkness, their grey-blue scrutiny still reaching deep into Raven's soul. Searching. For what?

"Being a Knight means everything, but I don't let it define me", Senya answered calmly. "When it's time to go to work, I'm who I need to be. The rest of the time, I'm just myself. You don't strike me as all that different."

Raven tilted her head. Was she different? She wasn't so sure all of a sudden. Her own 'work' wasn't as clearly defined as the tasks of a Knight, she'd bet, and with her determination to follow the light path, even among her dark brethren, things only got more complicated.

"I live by a code", she finally answered, "but I don't follow it to the letter."

Senya's mouth twitched.

"So I've heard", the Knight answered. "I do get the impression that it's not really the Sith code that you are following, though. Not really the Jedi code, either, but closer, at least. I've heard it recited. It's interesting."

Raven wasn't really sure if she should feel insulted, or intrigued.

"Wouldn't work for me, I don't think", the older woman continued. "Definitely wouldn't work for Arcann. He's more in line with the Sith code. Victory from passion... It's a powerful notion. Very much like how he operates."

Whenever Senya mentioned the name of their enemy, her voice dropped into the darker tones Raven had heard in the swamps. She wondered whether the Knight was aware of this.

"I know why I oppose him. What's your reason?" Lord Kallig asked, curios to find out more about her new ally. Trust needed some form of basis, after all.

"Years after the death of our Immortal Emperor, most are still so afflicted with remorse that they don't see what's happening", Senya answered, and the same remorse she spoke of coloured her voice as well. Or sorrow? Raven remembered that she had felt grief, even when she'd first encountered the Knight.

"Arcann has become oppressive and cruel", the Knight continued. "He'll crush anyone who doesn't share his plan for the galaxy."

She shook her head, and her mask fell back into place. Raven knew that she'd have to wait for another time to learn more about Senya's motivations.

"So that's me. What about you?"

Raven looked up, as the words just poured from her tongue.

"Arcann wants to lay waste to everything I've fought for and accomplished", she said. "I won't let him. I can't."

Senya bowed her head slightly, all traces of amusement gone. Her grey-blue eyes shone again in the darkness.

"Neither will I", she stated, and it was not an empty promise. "I may not know much of the worlds you've inhabited, but I do know what he's doing to them."

She shook her head, as if to clear it from the unsettling pictures she'd evoked.

"You're not what I expected. Not sure if that's good or bad yet, but I do know I'll have an easier time with you than Koth."

Koth. Yes. Right on cue, because Raven wanted to talk about that issue, anyway.

"I hope you'll try to get along", the Sith said, glad that at least Senya seemed peaceful enough now to not electrocute anything. "The more we work together, the better off we'll be."

The Knight frowned, and Raven wondered whether she'd have to correct her assessment.

"Just because he betrayed our enemy doesn't change the fact that he was a traitor", the former Zakuul elite warrior all but growled. "You need to be cautious."

Raven watched Senya, and wondered whether she might have a point. But she also remembered that Koth had rescued her, and that he had been nothing but supportive since.

Bad cases of mood swings and some anger issues notwithstanding.

Raven was ready to trust Koth, and, to a lesser extend, Senya, if only because she had known her for very little time. And Lana... Lana seemed to trust both of them as well. With a little bit of luck, both might learn to overcome their issues when working together.

The Sith remembered thinking of Satele Shan when she had first encountered Senya. Now that she'd had the chance to spend more time with the Knight, their differences were striking, but not absolute. She couldn't help but wonder what had become of the Jedi Grandmaster.


	8. The Path to Power

_Balmorra, Sobrik, 6 BEA_

There are places in the galaxy which are so breathtakingly beautiful that even on the worst of days, under the worst possible circumstances, artists would beg for another hour, minute, _second_ , just for another chance to capture a little piece of it on paper, in stone, or Durasteel. Other places own a sort of quiet loveliness that needs its time to really impress the viewer, but when it does, they are equally awe-inspiring.

Unfortunately, Sobrik, the Imperial capital of Balmorra, did neither belong to the first nor the second category. Raven watched the grey houses, the harsh lights, the military vehicles and the reflections of the ray shield above her and couldn't help acknowledging the irony of all this: Finally free to go where she wanted, thanks to her brand new Fury starship, and only bound by her obligations to Darth Zash, she was now standing in what felt like the armpit of the galaxy. Complete with craters, the sound of sirens, and tired, weary people – civilians and military alike.

Well, the only alternative had been Nar Shaddaa, and here Raven was at a loss when it came to comparisons with body parts. Irritated appendix, maybe? For the start of her search, she had preferred the armpit.

Thanks to her Dashade companion, who loomed quietly behind her wherever she went, nobody had even tried to give her grief. Or it was the lightsaber. In some moments, it still felt weird to be treated with respect, and even fear, by the same type of officers who would have scoffed at her during her time as a slave on Ziost.

Major Bessiker though, her contact on Balmorra, was different. Oh, he had treated her with respect, alright, but he showed such an enthusiasm and good spirit that Raven had pondered checking his supply of ration bars for questionable additions. And he liked Sith, or was the best actor that she had ever encountered. He could say 'The Sith are the heart of the Empire' without blushing, and hadn't even flinched at her approach. Or Khem Val's. Raven inwardly shook her head. A brother and a son in the Sith may be the explanation for much, but surely not this level of unworldly excitement.

"Look out!"

Raven had barely time to jump out of the way, as a flurry of what appeared to be colourful feathers shot through the street. On top of the running ball of red, blue and green pandemonium, a Twi'lek girl was holding on for life and shouting at the top of her voice. As if in slow-motion, a silvery shimmer on her blue neck caught the young Sith's attention.

A slave collar.

The feeling of electricity that played around her hands was welcome, but right now, Raven had more important concerns than giving a cruel slave master a taste of his or her own medicine. She reached out with the Force, and tried to calm down the bird's panic-filled mind, but with mixed success. The beast slowed down a bit, and turned around, but didn't stop completely. Instead, after a second of contemplation, it charged.

Raven took cover behind an empty market stall and quickly checked which parts of her robes were best suited to be re-purposed as additional first-aid dressing. Inevitably, she heard a loud thud and a croak – Khem wasn't one to go hiding, and one crazed bird was no match for the Shadow Killer, even if it was two and a half metres tall. But when the young Sith hurried to patch up its rider, she was astonished to see the Twi'lek jump off the unconscious beast gracefully, while grinning from ear to ear.

"Geez, thanks! I thought it would never stop."

Raven quickly checked her for injuries, but didn't even see so much as a scratch on the girl's blue skin. Still, best to be sure.

"Are you alright? I've got a medpac", the assassin offered, but the former rider only rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, so have I. Don't go all mom on me, okay? You don't even know me!"

Suddenly, the Twi'lek stopped dead in her tracks and stared at her.

"And... you are Sith. Aren't you? With the lightsaber, and everything? Gosh, what kind of a Sith are you, anyway?"

Raven was spared from having to answer that question by the sound of footsteps. An armoured figure approached them at running speed, a lightsaber hilt clearly visible at his side.

"Don't worry, I won't let him hurt you", Raven hissed, and positioned herself between the Twi'lek girl and the newcomer. What kind of monster would force an innocent through a wild chase, just for his sick amusement? The lightning played around her fists again, and this time, she was fully willing to use it.

"Go away from her!" the young inquisitor shouted, just as the newcomer stopped before her.

"Leave her alone", he growled, and his hand moved to his weapon.

"Hey, guys..."

Raven drew her own blade and allowed a healthy amount of Force energy to charge into it.

"I won't stand by while you torment your slave, whoever you are", she stated, and thanked the Force for her luck, because she actually recognized this Sith, and especially his rank, from a small news report on Dromund Kaas. She sensed power, but he was no Darth, and not even a Lord. Just a regular Sith apprentice, like herself. There was no way she'd just watch while he abused his slave any further...

"Guys!"

The Twi'lek girl bounced around them, and knocked at the armoured Sith's breastplate.

"Guess what? You were right, big guy. That stupid Orobird wasn't properly trained for riding, after all."

Raven just stared as the Sith Warrior's expression switched from anger to relief. Or perhaps more than just relief; there was a certain fondness in his eyes, as he visibly relaxed at the reassurance of his companion. The young Sith cleared her throat, as understanding dawned on her.

"So, you aren't going to try to make her suffer through any nefarious whims you might have?"

The other Sith looked at her, and flinched at the sight of her scars. Raven didn't suppress a grim little smile – she might feel a bit like an idiot, but apparently she wasn't the only one.

"Of course not. And you aren't going to try to punish my friend for nearly crashing into you?" the warrior retorted.

Friend?

"Not many people have their friends wear a slave collar", Raven commented, but her anger subsided. Whatever the true relationship between those two was, she clearly had misjudged the situation.

The Sith's face fell and showed nothing but a mix of clear regret and deep suffering.

"I know! I know. Believe me, I know, and even in the unlikely case that I should forget, I'd be reminded twice per hour..."

He shook his head and lifted his arms in near-comical surrender.

"My master gave her to me as a gift, and I tried to free her the first chance I got, but the mechanism broke. Now the collar won't work, which is good, but it can't be removed easily, either, and we didn't have the time or money for the required surgery on Dromund Kaas..."

He was stopped by his friend, who had whistled innocently and stomped on his foot. Raven doubted that he had felt anything through his armour, but it was the thought that counted.

"Enough, Sith-y Sith. This is getting embarrassing. He, get it? Em- _Baras_ -sing?"

The Twi'lek girl stopped for a heartbeat to breathe, but continued chatting in record speed.

"Anyway, I think I need a drink. Coming, oh high and Force-mighty Apprenticeness?"

The Sith Warrior nodded his agreement.

"Of course, Vette", he answered, and the strange couple left Raven and her Dashade companion alone, together with a big, unconscious heap of uncivil feathers.

The assassin looked towards Khem, who hadn't said one word during the encounter. Not that she had expected anything else; he was getting quite adept at the stoic morose monster routine.

"Let me guess", she sighed, "Tulak Hord was never tackled by a crazy mount, never broke things he didn't intend to break, and never befriended anybody, least of all a slave?"

The Dashade just stood there, and stared at her from his small, glowing eyes. Then, after a second that seemed to last way longer than that, he spoke.

"I have been watching you closely, my master. You are soft and reckless with your power. Nothing like the great Tulak Hord. Is it weakness or overconfidence that drives you to such foolish mercy?"

Raven swallowed. She shouldn't have been surprised, as she knew very well that Khem wouldn't win a prize for niceness even as the sole participant of a pleasantry contest. Perhaps it was the wording, or the tone, but hearing his blunt assessment hurt more than it should have.

"Mercy is not a weakness", she countered. "It takes strength to spare an enemy, but in doing so, you get the chance to make them an ally, perhaps even a friend. That is true power, true strength: To end a fight by discovering that your enemies aren't your enemies."

Orange eyes burned in the dirty grey twilight that filled Sobrik.

"So you say, little Sith. But despite your ideals, you have nevertheless made me a slave."

A sort of deadly calm filled Raven's mind, as she looked at her companion. She had no name for the feelings swirling in her chest, but whatever showed on her face was strong enough to make the ancient assassin draw a step back.

"You know the word, but not its meaning", she said, and realized, on some level, that her voice had become devoid of any emotion. For a moment, Sobrik was gone, replaced by the red wastes of Korriban, then the dark streets of Ziost.

"You, Khem Val, have been a _servant_ to a Sith during the last weeks, as most beings in the Empire are, and as you once were during the time of Tulak Hord's reign. You have never been punished for complaints, you have never been tortured, neither with nor without reason, you have never been forced to bury a friend with your bare hands. You speak of regaining freedom like it's self-evident, a certainty, and of your own strength, but to a slave, both concepts become foreign after a while. There is only obedience, and pain, but no level of the former is guaranteed to save you from the latter. After years and decades, if you are lucky or unlucky enough to live that long, the only thing that is left of you is a shell, a grey husk, and a vague memory of a hope that is long gone. It shouldn't be this way, because even the Empire has its laws and rules. But if no one enforces those, they have no power to protect you. The only choice that you have is to obey, or to face the consequences. And as consequences go, a swift death is one of the best things that can happen."

Raven noticed that the street was now completely empty. Even the Orobird had vanished; she saw the hint of a tail feather from behind the very same market stall that she had taken cover behind not long ago. She took one step forward, towards the Dashade, and made sure to speak very clearly.

"I give you a choice right now, which is something most slaves will never have, and I'll even tell you the consequences. Ask to fight me, to try to win back your freedom, and I'll free you, but then I _will_ kill you. Agree to follow me further, however grudgingly, and I'll continue to treat you as an ally. Or ask to leave, and I'll exile you to a world of my choosing, where you can't do any damage to anything I value."

Raven stared into the Dashade's orange-yellow eyes. Strange. Hadn't they been darker, their hue redder, when they had first met?

"Do not presume to call me 'ally'. If I were free, we would not be speaking like this."

The Dashade spoke with a certain vehemence, but his voice lacked the final bite, the heightened aggression she'd have expected if he had wished to attack her. Raven waited for his decision, as Khem moved his head and stared into the distance. She wondered what, or whom, he saw.

"Still, when I fight at your side, I begin to feel like I did then, when I fought at my master's side, and none could defeat us. I will not serve you forever, but for now it is a delight to roam the galaxy and feast on its energies."

The young Sith released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. The prospect of continuing her quest with nobody but her hysteric ship droid at her side had been unpleasant, to say the least.

"Fair enough", she said, and started to walk towards the city's gates. She still had to reach the artefact for her master, and apparently she'd need to find a defected scientist to survive this endeavour, but she wouldn't have to do it alone.

A croak sounded in the distance. As Raven looked up, she could have sworn that she saw a flash of colour somewhere towards the mountains. Perhaps the Orobird was indeed clever enough to avoid the battle zones, and to find a place to enjoy its freedom. The former slave wished it the best.

* * *

 _Balmorra, Major Bessiker's Barracks, 6 BEA_

"Another card."

"Standing."

Raven squinted her eyes as the Twi'lek got what she wanted, but could guess nothing from Vette's expression. Major Bessiker was easier to read, he sounded very pleased with himself. The Sith checked her own cards again. With the last shift, her deck had transformed into one holding both a '2' and a '3' – what were the chances of getting the missing '0', or 'Idiot', for the unbeatable 'Idiot's Array'?

And how likely was the occurrence of another Sabacc Shift, while she tried to calculate possibilities?

"I'd like another card, please."

The stakes were pretty low, on Raven's insistence. Gambling was one thing if used for amusement during a nice, quiet evening, but in her opinion, it should never be more than a game. Risking fifty credits, or a week's worth of dessert servings? Fine. Risking her lightsaber, or her ship? Never.

She got the requested card, and looked directly into the Idiot's zero. This was one of the rare moments where her upbringing as a slave was highly useful; she was used to masking emotions without the Force and didn't have to call on it to hide her satisfaction, which in turn might have made the Sith Warrior next to her suspicious. He was watching her right now, with the same calculating stare that she'd probably had seconds ago – was she pleased or disappointed? Raven hoped that her face proved as unreadable to him as his own to her.

"I stand."

The Twi'lek checked her cards and nodded.

"Yep, me too."

"As do I."

Bessiker clapped his hands. "Called! Let's see what you've got, my dear guests."

But Raven didn't really listen, as she was busy laughing. She had just noticed that the notorious Sabacc shift had indeed struck again, leaving her with a perfectly average deck. Bessiker's cheeks got darker, as he, too, noticed the change, and he started cursing. Vette chuckled, and even her Sith friend, who had been nice enough, but quite calm and collected during the whole evening, smiled dryly.

Raven laughed louder as she noticed that nobody had a better deck than her. Still grinning, she collected her winnings. With this round added to the evening's results, she had even made a profit. Granted, it was only one single credit, but she'd expected to lose large parts of her chosen one hundred credit budget due to her complete lack of experience.

Perhaps there was really something like 'beginner's luck'.

"Just out of curiosity: What was your deck, before the last shift, Major?" the warrior asked, which promptly made Bessiker groan again.

"A wonderful Pure Sabacc hand", he answered. "Such a rare thing, and then the shift… worst possible moment…"

Raven pondered telling him that her former cards would still have beaten his, but decided against it – why destroy his memory of the almost-perfect deck? She caught a glance from Vette, though, and there was some kind of glint in the Twi'lek's blue eyes. The warrior cleared his throat and the girl sighed, before distributing her substantial winnings back to her companion and the Imperial.

"Come on, guys, it's just a game, isn't it? Let's do this again tomorrow, and take today's rounds as free practice. You okay with this, Raven?"

The young Sith shrugged, and tossed the single credit chip over the table.

"Sure, I couldn't decide which star ships to buy with my new fortune, anyway."

Chuckles accompanied Raven when she stood up to re-fill their glasses. Vette stood up as well, but only to stretch, before dropping down on the next couch, feet in the air.

"See, I was right again. You're okay, Lord Scary-Scars. Oh, or you might go for 'Lord Ironic'. Sounds less Sith-y, but rhymes with 'iconic'. Seriously, have you ever thought about what name to pick when you finish your grrrr-grrrr Sith business, whatever it is, and become a Lord? Or a Darth?"

Raven was still perplexed how many syllables the girl could utter non-stop without having to breathe in between.

"No idea", she admitted, and Vette nearly jumped.

"What? No idea? But this is important!" she insisted, and nodded so viciously that her lekku wiggled wildly behind her head.

"Imagine being stuck with something fancy that goes out of fashion a year after picking it. I bet there are a number of 'Lord Jurgorans' among the Sith who have regretted their choice of name after learning about the huge number of indigestion problems those beasts routinely catch. How embarrassing…"

Vette shook her head, but swiftly found another topic.

"Come to think of it, is there any way to get rid of a name? Say, when there is a Darth called 'Temptrox' or 'Alluren', young and beautiful and all that, and then he or she goes full dark side… Becoming pale, corrupted, wrinkly, you know what I mean…"

Even the warrior snorted at that picture.

"Don't think that would be an issue", he guessed, "the Darth in question would not care, and nobody who values their life would dare making fun of them."

After a second of deliberation, the warrior tilted his head towards the Twi'lek girl.

"Nobody except you, I mean, but with a bit of luck I've mastered the skill of Force stasis by then and can stop you, at least before you say something unforgivable."

The Twi'lek just made a face and rolled her eyes at him.

"Weren't you the one who told his master that he had nice lungs during one of his dark angry shouting contests? I nearly had to change my pants after that one…"

Raven yawned and stood up, ready to call it a night. She finished her tea, sent Khem a message to meet her back at her ship when he was finished hunting, and took the time to check in with Iannos Tyrek. The scientist was trying to establish a basis for the serum, and Raven felt a pang of remorse when seeing him work so late in the evening. Sure, she had more or less abducted him from the Republic, but otherwise the Sith had done her best to treat him well. Was it the wish to return to his regular research that made him work so hard, or was he afraid to be eaten by her Dashade?

When the young Sith left Bessiker's barracks for the spaceport, she nearly ran into the Twi'lek and her Sith. Apparently those two also preferred the security of their own spacecraft for a good night's sleep. While Raven didn't entrust them with any details of her mission, she gladly discussed Balmorra in general, the weather, and recipes for Ryloth cakes.

As the time for parting was upon them, Raven was startled by a small, blue elbow that jabbed her in the ribs.

"Hey, um, Raven? Nice of you not to tell the old man of your winning hand back then."

The young Sith shrugged. "Well, it didn't really matter anyway, right? The shift…"

Realization slowly wormed itself a way through her tired mind. She had told nobody of her Idiot's Array, right? No, she hadn't.

Raven spun around and glared at the Twi'lek, who looked entirely too innocent all of a sudden.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Vette?" she asked sweetly.

The prospect of having to face an upset Sith apprentice didn't seem to concern the girl in the slightest. Raven guessed that having a lightsaber-wielding bodyguard might lead to illusions of invincibility…

"I cheated, of course", the former pirate declared, without showing even the slightest hint of a guilty conscience. "Hacked the computer to peer into all other decks. But Mr. Principles here made me promise to return the money if nobody else tried anything."

* * *

 _Balmorra, Gorinth Canyon, Windswept Plateau, 6 BEA_

Balmorra's sun shone from a cloudless sky, its warmth combating the chilly wind that swept over the high plains of the planet. Old rose cornflowers swayed in the wind, and some lost Core bumblebees were trying to reach their nectar. Raven observed one particularly successful exemplar, which buzzed around from plant to plant, covering itself in pollen, and shining like a miniature yellow-golden star itself. After spending hours and hours fighting through a droid factory, and discovering a special cargo's nature in a nearby cave after that, the young Sith felt that she had earned a little time for rest and relaxation.

She hoped that the weak Force-sensitives from the cave would safely reach their destination in the Republic, and that the officer in charge would keep his word and refrain from spreading the word about her involvement in this whole affair. There was enough death on Korriban already, no need to add more corpses of Force-weak acolytes to the pile.

Her holocom sprang to life, and Raven stretched her arms and legs before activating its screen. She wasn't entirely sure what she'd do if it was another subordinate of Darth Lachris, asking for help with some errand or another. How in the galaxy did the new ruler of Balmorra get the impression that she liked stuffing poisoned flesh into bug holes, anyway? Because the young Sith definitely did not enjoy doing so.

But it wasn't some random Imperial Ensign, or one of the exchangeable soldiers who usually accompanied the despotic Sith Lord. Instead, it was the familiar face of Major Bessiker. Raven jumped up. Her allies' face was a mask of anguish, and he spoke as soon as she answered the call.

"Sith! I'm sorry to interrupt you, but there is a problem, and I need your help."

The Sith Inquisitor felt a growing unease within herself. Had there been a counter-attack on Sobrik? Were they about to lose their capital?

"I'd be happy to help any way I can", she assured Bessiker, and tried to estimate how much time she'd need to return back to base. Perhaps it hadn't been such a good idea to waste time in the middle of nowhere.

The major's features relaxed a little.

"It's my son, Hiran", he explained, and Raven tried to hide her relief – whatever disaster had struck, it was likely more on a personal scale, not global. "He arrived a short time ago, but went after some… 'holocron'. A few minutes ago I got what I think was a distress call from him. He's in trouble!"

"Do you know where he is?" the young Sith asked. The major had helped her immensely, least she could do was to return the favour. Khem, according to the derisive mumbling behind her, felt differently, though.

Bessiker nodded and typed something into his datapad.

"We narrowed the origin of the distress call to an abandoned building near the Republic crater outpost. I'm guessing the Republic captured him, which means a lot of fighting to free him."

Raven literally felt his fear through the Force. Fear for his son, fear that she might already be too late, fear that she might just say no…

"Look no further. I'm your Sith", she declared, and hoped that the Republic really had taken the holocron searcher prisoner. There were a lot of things she still wanted to accomplish on Balmorra, but bringing a friend news about the demise of a loved one wasn't among them.

* * *

 _Balmorra, Outpost Victory, Command Centre, 6 BEA_

Raven waited patiently in the darkness, while another Republic patrol walked by. Hidden by shadows, and the Force, she'd made her way into the heart of her enemy's forces. One glance at her chrono confirmed that she had thirty seconds left before her timed smoke-bombs would trigger an alarm at the other entrance. The young inquisitor sneaked closer towards the cell blocks, used the Force again to confound two guards, and hurried towards their sole prisoner, as the rest of the troops ran towards the perceived danger. The way was clear.

"You… the old man sent you for me, didn't he?" the robed man asked, as Raven fiddled with the console. Just another second… these security algorithms weren't bad.

"I guess the old fool's still good for something", Bessiker's son said, with a self-important attitude that broke through Raven's concentration.

"Bessiker's not a fool. He's a smart man", the young Sith snapped, while trying to deactivate the force field. She had no time for this.

Nobody on Korriban seemed to have taught Bessiker junior that it was unwise to insult their saviour.

"Ha! Some Sith you are. Non-Sith are just pawns in our game, nothing more…"

Raven bit on her tongue and ignored his insolence. Finally, the security field went down.

"You're lucky I like your father", she said, and didn't bother hiding the venom in her voice. But subtlety, it seemed, was wasted on the young man.

"Looks like you and my old man are one of a kind: both weak", Hiran mocked, and grasped the vibroblade that Raven tossed him. One of the two guards in the entrance hall would likely miss his weapon once he awakened, but the inquisitor didn't plan to stick around till that happened.

The young Sith grasped Bessiker junior's shoulder and stopped him from directly walking into the returning Republic soldiers. Then she slipped back into the shadows and created some more false alarms with the computer network, while the other Sith ran for his life. No point saving the ungrateful little whelp without some sort of reassurance that he might indeed survive the next five minutes, after all.

Raven sighed and activated the small tracking devices on Hiran's shoulder, and on the borrowed blade. Small, unobtrusive, great range – it was the same model which she had used on Korriban, just a tad more powerful, and more expensive. In contrast to the Sith guy, she had learned some valuable lessons on the harsh planet: Never be careless, use all advantages that you can, and always count on a Sith's arrogance. If the more stupid of the two Bessikers she knew thought that Non-Sith and Non-Force equipment were beneath him, well, that was his problem, but she'd befriend or utilize both. Especially when this gave her an advantage in critical situations, or just the opportunity to teach a certain somebody some manners.

* * *

 _Balmorra, Sobrik, Major Bessiker's Barracks, 6 BEA_

"Hey! If it isn't the hero of the hour. I just heard from my son – I knew you wouldn't fail me."

Major Bessiker was radiating so much energy that he could have powered the whole of Sobrik single-handedly, if they had just found a way to convert the power. Raven closed her eyes for a moment and smiled, allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of making somebody happy.

"I was hoping he'd come back to base, so we could catch up, but he said that he was busy", the major continued. "Do you think he's okay?"

Great. What was better, being honest and hurting Bessiker, or lying and leaving him in his bubble of ignorance?

"Er... I think he's just enjoying his independence..." Raven murmured, and elbowed Khem Val, who was starting to complain again.

Bad idea. Now her arm hurt. Severely.

"Boys will be boys, hm? Yes, I think you are right..."

The young Sith excused herself and hurried to find herself some ice, or a cooling pillow. The only upside, really, was that the Dashade had stopped lamenting. Raven wasn't completely sure, but suspected that the strange sound she'd heard from his direction had been a half-swallowed chuckle.

She really needed to find somebody who could (and would) teach her some basic Force healing techniques. Zash always claimed that she couldn't do it, either, and all instructors on Korriban or Dromund Kaas had told her that she shouldn't waste her time. As a result, the Sith Inquisitor had studied more than just one old tome, and every standard library book about mending and revivification with the Force. With enough time on her hand to meditate and immerse herself in the Force, she could by now heal minor wounds on her own body. But that was hardly the same as mending broken bones during a fight, and given the obstacles she'd encountered until now, she really ought to hurry up and learn faster.

Until then, it didn't help that medpacs were extremely expensive in a war zone.

Raven shook her head and checked in on the Republic scientist. Iannos Tyrek was expecting her, looking weary, but there was also some sort of... satisfaction that she felt, similar to that of an artist who knew he had just finished a masterpiece. Her serum was ready, she just knew it.

"So let me get this straight – you kidnapped me away from the Republic so that you could go skinny-dipping in a toxic waste pit?" he asked, incredulously.

Raven lifted one eyebrow.

"I expect to be wearing my robes", she countered. "Besides, a Sith needs to find some way to unwind..."

The Republic scientist and Sith assassin stared at each other and came to the mutual agreement that their humour was about as divergent as their political alignment. Tyrek looked away first.

"All right, well I suppose it is none of my business", he shrugged. "You're aware that the serum has never been tested on humans, though, right? I mean, it should work, but it was designed for Colicoids."

Bugs. Superb. What could probably go wrong – aside from the obvious two thousand things?

"When all else fails, I'll just debug myself", Raven commented, and earned a shake of the head from the major.

"Look, I'm just trying to warn you", he insisted, and the Sith didn't doubt his sincerity. "This serum could kill you before you even begin, and it might not be the most comfortable of deaths."

The green vial glowed ominously in the shadows. Little tremors ran through the liquid, which seemed almost alive, like having a spirit of its own. Raven could name about three hundred of substances she'd rather inject herself with off the top of her head, and this list included quite a number of poisons. She breathed deeply, and tried to control the fear that started to gnaw inside her. Peace is a lie, there is only passion...

It didn't really work, but Raven decided to ignore it.

"As promised, you may have your freedom, doctor. Thank you", she said, and nodded. Tyrek's look of utter surprise managed what the Sith Code hadn't – it distracted her from her growing unease.

"What? You're not serious. I mean, you're Sith – you can't be serious. You'll let me go back to the Republic?"

On some level it was nice to see that not all people around Sobrik were as naïve about the nature of the Sith as Major Bessiker, but it still hurt to have that intense level of distrust directed at herself.

"I'll let you _fly_ back to the Republic, or at least the better part of the way", Raven corrected, "and I'm coming with you, because I'm pretty sure the soldiers around here will think twice before shooting a Sith out of the sky. And don't worry, I'm not going to knock out another Republic camp; I just want to make sure that you leave the Imperial territory safely, and aren't eaten by a Zeldrate on the way."

* * *

 _Balmorra, Gorinth Canyon, Windswept Plateau, 6 BEA_

"Thank you, my lord. You're a strange sort of Sith, but I appreciate it."

The doctor bowed slightly, then looked around if anybody else was within earshot. But nobody but the wind was keeping them company.

"You know, if you ever want to come over to the other side..."

For one moment, Raven was tempted to just say 'yes'. Obligations be damned, she'd had enough of the Sith, the Empire, the war, and everything, despite or even because her new position of power. Hiran's face danced in her memory, mocking herself and her idea of changing the Empire from within, piece by piece.

Still, her mouth wouldn't form that single syllable, and her muscles wouldn't move. Raven looked down, onto her feet, then up again, and suddenly, the words just flowed from her, free like the wind.

"Don't think for a moment that I don't want to, Doctor, but I can't. Not yet, anyway. The Sith Order is a depraved place, full of evil, rotten to the core. See these scars? I've known the Sith's brutality for most of my life, before having to become what I detested. But you can't just hide from evil, not permanently at least. You have to fight it, head on."

Raven spread her arms, in a mixture of helplessness, and defiance.

"At least that's what I am telling myself. It helps not to calculate the actual odds of surviving long enough to make a difference. But imagine... if there are others out there, if one day there are at least some Sith in positions of power who know reason, and restraint. Imagine a day when Empire and Republic will meet and talk about a real peace treaty, and not an elevated armistice that both sides were already intent on breaking while signing it."

Raven shook Doctor Tyrek's hand, and saw a glimpse of pity in his eyes.

"Or imagine a Sith who wants to become an ugly bug, because she needs to swim through radioactive goo", she joked, and earned a smile from the Republic scientist. "See? Such a number of strange things happen each and every day, so why not hope and try for the seemingly impossible?"

"Indeed, why not", he answered. "Still, when thinking about my work, trying to find remedies for incurable diseases, then I'll get the feeling that my job is easier. And way less deadly."

* * *

 _Balmorra, Sobrik, 6 BEA_

Raven stood in one of Sobrik's backyards and burned yet another set of robes. After hauling them through the deepest depths of the nastiest toxic waste pit the whole planet had to offer, and after splashing more Colicoid entrails over them than even Khem could eat, she didn't even make an attempt to salvage what was left of her clothes.

Being Sith was an expensive business. The inquisitor only hoped that her new outfit would last a little bit longer.

She heard footsteps behind her, but didn't draw her saber. Major Bessiker's gait was unmistakable, and since she had saved his son, there was an extra, distinctive spring added to his usual pace.

"Hey, Sith! Leaving us for good, eh? Got what you came for I take it?"

Raven bowed slightly.

"I appreciate the help", she said, and wondered for a moment what she'd have done without the major. Probably something less crazy, she thought, for mutating herself was a bit unusual, even by her standards. But these mutations had very likely saved her life. The only cost, really, was a slight paranoia – she now always checked whether she had sprouted mandibles or antennae when she saw a mirror.

"The Sith are the heart of the Empire, I always say", Bessiker smiled. He still didn't blush while saying it.

"Anyway", he continued, "I wanted to see you off – give you a good pat on the back and a little parting gift."

Raven's gaze was already fixed onto the packages the major held in his hands. Three first-rate high-quality medpacs, each of them a tremendous help on a planet that was essentially one single war zone – and as rare as snow on Tatooine.

"I am most grateful", she said, and stowed the treasured packs securely away. One of these beauties could make the difference between a two mile long painful limp towards the next base, or a relaxed afternoon strolling through the countryside.

"Safe travels, Sith. It was a pleasure working for you – and thanks again for saving my son."

The Sith Assassin shook Bessiker's hand and smiled, albeit grimly.

* * *

 _Balmorra, Orbital Station, 6 BEA_

Raven took another mouthful of her Alderaanian tea, and concentrated on the results of her datapad's analysis. The station's cantina was pretty small, but the music was tolerable, and after Balmorra she appreciated the chance to flush the taste of toxic dirt out of her system.

Two hundred feet. Perfect.

"Time to go to work", she said towards the looming figure in the shadows, and slipped effortlessly into the darkness. Khem Val joined her, and together they approached the figure of a young Sith, who was walking through the corridors without even so much as checking his surroundings.

One groan and a muffled scream later, Raven crouched and smiled pleasantly into Hiran's terrified face. The Dashade had pinned him upside down to the next wall, and from the looks of it, Bessiker junior was close to fainting.

"Hello again, Hiran", she said. "So nice of you to join us. I think you and I should take the time and talk..."

* * *

 _Fury, Middle of Nowhere en Route to Nar Shaddaa, 6 BEA_

Some small piece of dust found its way into Raven's nostrils, and the inquisitor sneezed. Her ship's droid was a meticulous cleaner, but apparently, it wasn't perfect.

Well, very few things in the galaxy were. If something was good enough, then, well, it was good enough. No reason to fret about it.

Still smiling, she re-read the last part of Major Bessiker's mail.

"And while I don't want to bore you with the family stuff, I just want to add that my son, Hiran, found the time to visit me after finishing the task for his master. He has actually stayed for a full week, and helped me sort out some resource issues here at the base. Perhaps he'll even stay longer, and assist Darth Lachris. I'm so glad to see that the lad is doing well. He insists on leaving the lights on during the nights, though. That's probably a Sith thing, isn't it – learning to combat the light side, even while sleeping?"

* * *

Author's Notes:

#1: I like the Sith Inquisitor's main story line well enough, including most add-ons, right up to the end of Yavin 4. However, there are these moments where I would have preferred more options, like saving Hiran, but breaking his nose or something.

#2: I've always found the relationship between a light-side Sith Inquisitor and Khem to be difficult. Since Khem developed a kind of respect for even the most light-sided Sith, I can only suppose that some of his or her alignment is infectuous. Or they found something to bond, like hunting trips. Probably everybody has their own head canon at that point.

#3: Skillwise, Raven is a regular Sith Assassin, with a specialization in Deception. So is Victoria, and Lea as well (just the Jedi counterpart); it sort of runs in the family. However, it's more or less canon that the Jedi Shadow (not just the Sage) can do some healing; there are at least two cutscenes in which any Jedi Consular can heal somebody with the Force. As far as I know, there is no similar scene for an Inquisitor, just Sorcerer-specific one(s). Lea doesn't care much about rules, anyway, and is likely to do a quick Force Lightning or Force Choke should she ever really lose her temper, but that's still sort of covered by the Heroic Moment skills.


	9. The Black Talon

_The Black Talon, Space, 30 BEA_

Drops of a dark red liquid were slowly making their way down a shiny metallic surface. Victoria followed them with her gaze, as gravity claimed its rights, and groaned when her whole spine started to cramp. Her head felt dizzy. An incapacitated Sith, viscous crimson fluid everywhere, and disordered furniture – typical remnants of an enjoyable evening. But what could have been the heroic relics of a memorable fight, alas, were just the sorry deposits of a too-sweet cocktail, which had somehow developed a will of its own, and a very frustrated assassin.

"Never underestimate the Empire, explosives, or ex... ex... expansions..." she babbled, speaking to no one in particular. Still, somewhere next to her, something hummed sympathetically. Good old SP-02 – her droid always knew when to dial down its speech processor.

Lord Kell concentrated, fuelled her mental grasp with anger, levitated one of the empty glasses with the Force, and aimed towards the wall with the ship's name written across it. More shards joined the heap on the ground a second later, and the bang of the clash pierced uncomfortably through her muddled thoughts. The assassin blinked, and checked the results. Only three feet off target... she was making progress. A whole collection of blotches and spots around the words 'Black Talon' could testify that this progress was somehow steady, but slow. Very slow.

Victoria tried to lift her head, to check whether the barkeeper was still around, but gave up swiftly, as the whole room started to rotate. She groaned again, and resolved to just lie around and die from thirst. It wasn't the worst prospect, really – at least she wouldn't have to speak to Lord All-Black-Stupid-Armour again.

 _Satisfactory_.

A meagre little bolt of Force Lightning hit the wall, but was even further off the mark as her last try. What had the dumb Darth expected? They had beaten impossible odds, cut down the crazed pureblooded would-be conqueror, and saved the Empire from this threat, for crying out loud, while risking their lives and enduring the impossible stench of the ancient spacecraft. Well, at least she had. Fortis, for all she knew, might as well be a robot; he seemed near-invincible, anyway, and about as chatty as a droid without a vocalizer.

Movement. A shadow behind her? Victoria's hand reached her lightsaber, but it was only her SP droid, who had started to clean up some of the chaos around her. Nothing to worry about on that end. But what actually did concern her was the fact that, for one moment, she had nearly believed to see the tall, dark, and distinctive shadow of the very personified annoyance who was at least partly responsible for her sour mood.

The Sith assassin closed her eyes and allowed the clouds of sticky darkness that had formed between her ears to drag her mind into oblivion. Her mechanical ally would guard her sleep.

* * *

"My lord? Good to have you aboard. I'm Lieutenant Sylas…"

Words. Unknown voice. Loud and unpleasant unknown female voice. Victoria groaned and tried to lift her head again, but was about as successful as before. Light penetrated the small gap between her eyelids, and each photon hit her nerves like a rancor gone wild. But pain ignited anger, and the Force obeyed. Little flames of dark energy burned around her, enveloping her with comforting warmth. Lord Kell tried to make out the speaker, fully ready to burn whoever had been stupid enough to wake her, but localizing the culprit would have required to open her eyes. Not good.  
And now too late, anyway. The sound of quick steps, the feeling of fear that grew more distant… Whoever had bothered her had recognized their error.  
Lord Kell tried to rest her cheek on the softest place on the tabletop, and drew her hood over her head. The next person to try to wake her should better wear fire resistant armour.

About two minutes later, when Victoria's mind was just about to reach a near-comatose state again, metallic squeaks perturbed her rest. The assassin opened her mind to the Force, but sensed nothing, neither anxiety, nor anything else. A droid, then? Oh, wait. Perhaps SP-02 had tracked down another bottle of liquid distraction, preferably one that burned when enkindled? That prospect warranted another shot at opening her eyes. The Sith collected what strength she had, and forced her eyes to open. But it wasn't her trusty SP unit that greeted her. Instead, two shiny yellow bulbs of light filled her vision. Victoria blinked, and the scene before her pieced itself together to form the ugliest droid she'd ever seen.

"Identity confirmed! Good day – I am advanced protocol unit NR-02. My functions are diplomacy, translation, manslaughter and calumniation…", the piece of junk metal introduced itself, while busying itself with some kind of interface at its arm. Bothered, but not yet fully mad, the Sith squinted her eyes, and snarled a basic non-verbal warning towards the intruder. But whatever functions the droid might possess, interpreting facial expressions wasn't one of its specialities.

Pity. It might have increased its life expectancy.

"I have an urgent…", the machine droned on, but whatever it was, it dispersed together with the protocol droid's chassis. Victoria laughed in pure joy as the Force flowed through her, and shot another ball of fiery energy at the door. Then she kicked the droid's head through the resulting hole. Her headache was gone, and so was her fatigue. Through passion, strength... The Sith Code, naturally, was always right.

Victoria uncurled her other extremities, and decided she could very well stand up and look for another bottle by herself. That was the biggest disadvantage of her job, really: Routinely taking small doses of poison to increase resistance was part of the life of an assassin, as was drinking high doses of all-purpose antidotes. Well, at least those assassins who wanted to live did it, the other usually died a gruesome death at some random dinner table. But while this treatment had saved her from approximately six assassination attempts, and that was only counting those Lord Kell was absolutely sure about, it also made it near-impossible for her to get peacefully drunk. Infusions with pure alcohol were one option, but lacked a certain charm. The only alternative was a brute force approach: drinks, drinks, and more drinks. But as the Sith started to look around for promising shimmers in the darkness behind the bar, she heard footsteps. A woman approached her position, clad in the uniform of an Imperial lieutenant, with a face as pale as the snow drifts on Hoth, and carrying a scorched droid head, plus a holo communicator.

"As I was saying, I have an urgent message for you from my master", the droid's head rattled. "Please stand by for delivery."

Victoria pondered burning the rest of the machine as well, but the holocom sprang to life before she had decided whether to use electricity, fire, blaster fire, or her lightsaber. The sight distracted the Sith from all demolition plans she was designing. Calling the man who appeared before her 'massive' would have been correct, but similar to calling Coruscant 'well populated'. Huge muscles were visible through his uniform, his neck was about as wide as his skull, and Victoria had seen Sith Lords in heavy armour whose plated shoulders had been smaller than those of this human. And he was sporting a set of scars that would have been a credit to any Sith warrior. Not to a Sith inquisitor, of course, for she and her colleagues preferred not to get hurt in the first place.

The figure looked around, and lifted one eyebrow.

"My name is Grand Moff Zelin Kilran", he introduced himself. "I'm commander of the Fifth Fleet, second to the Minister of War, and – my personal favourite – the so-called 'Butcher of Alderaan'. If you don't remember that particular skirmish, I'd advise you to check out the holo feeds of the Ministry of War. Well, it was a memorable fight, all things considered."

Lord Kell looked at him, and tried to find out if it was his snotty voice, his self-assured demeanour, his looks, or simply his interruption of her search for a new bottle that annoyed her the most. Probably it was all of it together.  
And 'Butcher of Alderaan'? She hadn't even known that the Empire had invaded that sinkhole of a planet in the first place. Prattling nobles always gave Victoria heartburn, and not the good kind that was related to beautiful bottles and luminescent liquors.

"Something wrong with the hologram? Or is your face supposed to look like that?" she asked pleasantly, all the while leaning more and more towards simple lightning with regards to droid demolishing. Shiny, sparkling, and effective… The officer, however, took the insult in stride.

"The scars?" he asked, and his tone conveyed that he had heard similar quips before – and likely tortured the culprits. "They're an old gift from a Jedi friend. I barely notice them any more."

Kilran cleared his throat, and continued with his message. "Six hours ago, the Republic engaged in a border skirmish on the edges of Imperial territory. One enemy warship escaped. That warship – the Brentaal Star – is carrying a passenger of vital strategic importance. Yours is the only vessel placed to intercept."

Victoria rolled her eyes, and felt new flames travel across her arms. "So six hours ago, a whole number of Imperial gunnery officers messed up badly. About five hours ago, you didn't do your job properly, either; otherwise you'd have directed some military vessels with more than just minor weaponry to intercept that ship. And if your droid had looked for the right person about five minutes ago, like, you know, the captain of this ship, then it might not be missing vital components right now. Remind me again – how is any of this mess _my_ problem?"

Her tirade had at least one effect: the smug look vanished from Kilran's face, making place for obvious annoyance.

"The passenger, called 'general', must be captured or killed. Captain Orzik – the man commanding your transport – doesn't share my enthusiasm", he explained, but didn't look very happy about it. "He's disobeyed my orders to attack. Feel free to show him what the Empire does to cowards. Then commandeer his ship, find the Brentaal Star and deal with the general."

Lord Kell contemplated if it was worth the effort to choke the human through the Force. Long-distance Force manipulations were costly, though, and she had just recovered from her overuse of power during the attack on the Red Reaper. She wasn't so keen on experiencing that special feeling of fatigue and partial Force-blindness again.

"As I was saying – how is any of this _my_ personal problem?" the Sith growled. She didn't like pompous idiots, and she absolutely hated having to repeat herself. Oh, and she definitely didn't like the malicious grin forming on Moff Muscles' face, either.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I thought it was obvious. The Empire always comes before research, or whatever it is you are doing in the middle of nowhere, right?" Kilran retorted. He bent over, until his ugly face filled Victoria's entire field of view. "The general will be dead or in custody by day's end. If he's not, I assure you – your ship will never reach port. And don't start with any of the 'I am Sith' nonsense. My authority comes directly from the Dark Council."

His image faded, but Lord Kell didn't know what to answer, anyway. Council business? Here? That was bad. Very bad, indeed. She reached out with her senses, and felt the anxiety of the people on board of her ship. Now she realized that it wasn't only the presence of a more-or-less half-drunk and partly erratic Sith Lord that had them standing on edge, but also the threats of the fleet commander.

"I will follow you to the bridge, once you have cleared the way for my valued leg substitute", the droid head chattered. "Once Captain Orzik is deposed and our hijacking is complete, we may proceed to the Brentaa..."

Victoria's temper flared. She stalked towards the lieutenant, wrung the metallic skull out of her hands, threw it into the air, and disintegrated it with the Force. Then she stared at the officer, who had succeeded in the impossible feat of becoming even paler. But the lieutenant was still standing, and not fainting. That, at least, was something, and couldn't be said of the two other soldiers in sight. The Sith sighed.

"Stay here for five minutes, then follow me slowly to the bridge", she ordered. "If you hear blaster fire, then I have made a mistake, and you have walked too fast. In the meantime, you could either try to revive those two guys on the ground, or just check if you find some bottles with alcohol in that bar over there, preferably something strong. I think we might all need a little booster when this is over."

* * *

Lord Kell walked through the corridors of the Black Talon and felt the pleasant hum of the Force around her, as she shrouded herself in darkness. Now and then one of the more perspective members of the crew might lift their head, but to no avail – Victoria filled their minds with white noise and continued forward without being bothered. Only once she really had to intervene in earnest, since she couldn't just phase through a guarded ray shield without a severe headache.

"This is not the Sith you're looking for", she whispered, as she stepped out of her own personal Force Cloak and allowed the Force to weave through her words as she waved her hand.

"This isn't the Sith we are looking for", all troopers in sight repeated. Their eyes seemed rather dull, all of a sudden. Good.

"She can go about her business."

"You can go about your business."

The Sith smiled. "Deactivate the shield, and move along."

"Yes, I'll deactivate the shield… Now, move along… move along", the first human echoed. And Victoria, for once, obeyed a command without question.

* * *

The bridge of the transport vessel was larger than Lord Kell had suspected. Usually she spent voyages like this in her quarters, or any appropriate rooms for leisure or recreation—preferably in bars, if she was in a bad mood. Still, identifying the captain of the Black Star was pretty easy: Aside from the uniform and his insignia, one specific man was also the palest and the one with the highest mix of responsibility and fear radiating from him. Victoria sneaked up behind him, charged her hands with Force energy, and tipped him on his shoulder, only to immobilize him in a net of sparkles. The treatment wasn't painful in itself, that much she knew by experience. Well, at least as long the captain was wise enough not to move.

"Captain Orzik?" Victoria asked calmly, and tried valiantly to fight a sudden hiccup. "I'd say this would be an excellent opportunity to order your crew to lay down their weapons."

The captain froze. Nearly everybody on the bridge didn't dare to move one muscle. The sole exception was one ensign, whose face was one big question mark.

"What's going on? Sir…", he asked, rapidly looking from his captain to the newly arrived Sith Lord, and back again. The inquisitor nearly pitied him. How old might the boy be? He didn't look older than 18 years, and probably didn't deserve to go through the amount of stress that was waiting for all of them. If Lieutenant Sylas managed to find a bottle of suitable alcohol, Victoria resolved to share it with him.

"Stay calm, Ensign. And yes, I am Captain Orzik. Everyone stay calm", the captain said, and the Sith released him. She was completely sure that none of the people around her would cause her any trouble. As if on cue, the door opened, and Lieutenant Sylas came in. Victoria checked, but saw no bottle. Alas, life was full of disappointments. Instead, the lieutenant was leading a new droid, who somehow managed to look grumpy, despite its non-existent facial expressions.

"Good day again, I am NR-02, freshly reloaded and restored from a memory bank backup. I don't want to know what happened during my memory gap, but there are no current threats found. The bridge is now secure."

Hoping against hope that she was just hallucinating, Victoria stared at the protocol droid. It was the same tone, the same nerve-wracking self-assuredness… and the same lack of self-preservation.

"If you continue being as helpful as before, I'll gladly provide a little reminder", the Sith threatened, and called on the Force again to shroud herself in visible dark-red flames. All humans, with the exception of the captain, jumped at least one step back. Orzik coughed, and seemed intend to get the conversation on track again.

"I'm Captain Pell Orzik", he repeated, "and I'm pretty sure I know what this is about. For the record, I take complete responsibility for my actions."

Victoria was ready to just laugh into his face, but looked around first and decided to take pity on the officers and crewmen. Nearly all of them looked as if they wanted to run, hide, or faint, possibly all of it, and none of them were worthy opponents, anyway. And, what was that? How could she have missed it? There was a bottle in Lieutenant Sylas' hands! Perhaps there was hope for this crew, after all.

"I understand, Captain", the Sith smiled, suddenly feeling very happy. "If nothing else, that should make it easier on the crew." She literally felt the human blood pressure around her sink significantly after this declaration. Captain Orzik tilted his head.

"I'm glad it's worth something", he remarked. "You're here because of the Moff, aren't you? He must want the Brentaal Star's passenger pretty badly. Or maybe he just hates me."

Victoria tried to guess Kilran's motivations, but wasn't sure, either. She didn't consider either of the options unlikely, though, and felt a wave of genuine affection for Captain Orzik. Somebody who didn't like a guy that she disliked… well, the captain couldn't be all bad, could he?

"The Black Talon would be destroyed chasing a battleship", Captain Orzik continued. "I fought in the war before, and I'll fight again, but I don't do suicide missions."

A captain with principles. Lack of common sense, okay, but Victoria didn't always use hers, either, so she quickly started to feel genuine affection for the officer. And not wanting to die, well, she could relate to that. Still, refusing a Moff's order was about as deadly as chasing down an enemy warship in a tin can. Albeit not as deadly as all but challenging a Darth to a duel… Lord Kell burned that thought quickly and decided to give the guy before her another chance at life. With a little bit of luck, it would even upset Moff Muscles.

"I'm not looking to make a martyr of anyone", the Sith assassin declared. "We can complete this mission and survive. There is not much of a choice, for Moff Kilran's instructions were pretty clear. So if we're going to survive, we need to work together."

* * *

For about two minutes, Victoria was very pleased with herself. She literally felt the morale of the crew rising again, as the captain rediscovered his fighting spirit. And the stupid Moff pet droid was careful enough to stay out of her sight. But the best part about the whole distraction was… well… the fact that it was indeed a distraction. She hadn't even thought about her personal troubles for at least an hour. Not that she had personal troubles.

Blasted Darth in black.

But when the Brentaal Star came in sight, and boarding shuttles closed in on the Black Talon, Lord Kell wondered whether this course of action had truly been the best possible option. At least the Republic assault crew would provide a valuable workout, and a chance to work the rest of the alcohol out of her system.  
Victoria threw her hair back, put her best 'let us deal with it' face on and nodded towards the crew.

"I can handle any boarders", she proclaimed. "Lieutenant? Where is the bottle? Very good. Ensign? Organize some glasses and get yourself a drink. Medical purposes, trust me. The rest of you, feel free to join him – as long as you are able to work your consoles afterwards. And if somebody could teach that overgrown pocket calculator there some manners while I am away, well, it would be appreciated."

The Sith assassin activated her holocom. "SP-02? Meet me at the shuttle bay's entrance. Time to show the Moff's plaything here what a _real_ droid can do."

* * *

One sergeant. One corporal. One private. And a droid. Lord Kell wondered why the Republic team hadn't put at least some more assault droids or demolition drones onto the assault shuttles, but decided she wasn't about to complain, anyway. The fight was short, and a little painful due to a simple mistake on her end, but neither challenging nor memorable. The Sith cursed her luck as she examined the blaster wound on her arm afterwards, and found a little bloody memento from the corporal. Perhaps she should have refrained from drinking that last Empire's Explosive Expansion, after all… Or perhaps she just shouldn't have stopped drinking, otherwise she wouldn't have to fight her current headache.

Victoria bit her lips and then sighed in relief, as her trusty droid liberated some of the unused Kolto supplies from the beaten Republic party, and applied it generously on her maltreated limb. Now she just needed a replacement for her robes, and she already knew who would pay for it, even if the Moff in question didn't yet realize the costs he would soon be facing. Shadow silk was impossibly expensive these days.

* * *

Back on the bridge, Victoria and her SP droid were greeted by Kilran's mouthpiece junk again.

"Please stand alert. Grand Moff Kilran's representative has returned…"

The Sith ignored him promptly, and walked directly to the Ensign. He still twitched at her approach, but didn't step back. Very good. Either his confidence was growing, or her medical tactics had indeed had the desired effect. Victoria grasped the bottle and used the chance to sample the last of the anti-headache medicine inside. Somewhere next to her, the captain cleared his throat.

"I see you took care of the Republic assault", he commented. "Welcome back to the bridge."

Victoria swallowed the last of the liquid, and decided she was now able to take any possible news.

"Fill me in on the situation", she ordered, and privately wondered if there might be more of the special medicine around. Her common sense urged her to refrain, but she had quite a history of ignoring that special little nagging voice in her mind.

"We've survived the first wave of attacks from the Brentaal Star. Things will be calm until we enter fighter range – another minute, maybe two", Captain Orzik reported, and Victoria had to concentrate to stop herself from burping.

"Very good, all of you", she said, as her stomach lurched. "I'll be... somewhere... in the meantime."

Orzik lifted both of his eyebrows. And what was that? Did he roll his eyes?

"My lord, I wouldn't presume to dare give any suggestions, but is it wise to look for more alcohol before a battle?"

The Sith squinted her eyes, and shot him a dark look. "Actually, I had quite the reverse thing in mind. As in 'bathroom break'. And if you don't mind, I'll just spare you the gory details."

Out of the corner of her eyes, she again noticed movement, and nearly jumped when her mind drew the picture of a tall, dark and disapproving figure behind her. But it was only the Ensign, who was busy disposing of the empty bottle. The Sith shook her head, angry at herself, and made haste – her stomach was insisting that speed would be a pretty good idea right now.

* * *

 _The Brentaal Star, Space, 30 BEA_

Victoria wasn't quite sure how her shuttle had managed to reach the enemy ship without simply exploding in mid-flight, but was glad all the same about the fact that she and her droid were unharmed. She was less glad about the holo image of Kilran's killer corkscrew, who obviously believed that having some physical distance between them did entitle him to annoy her again.

"This is protocol unit NR-02. I hope you're receiving this message clearly, and that your flight was free of incident."

Lord Kell lifted her hand, and started to channel Force energy. Surely, one little Force Choke over that small distance wouldn't send her into Force Oblivion again? Luckily, the droid continued with what could be called valuable intel.

"It is extremely likely that the crew is attempting to evacuate the general. You must retrieve or eliminate him before he escapes."

Well, not valuable enough. The Sith stopped herself from crushing the machine, but growled nonetheless. "I don't need a droid telling me how to do things…"

Victoria shot the console instead. Less risky, and she still felt a little better. Better, of course, on a very relative scale. At least she didn't feel like vomiting any more, but Lord Kell really didn't want to worsen her headache.

"Master, the Republic yet-breathers appear to revel in the illusion that superior numbers might save them from your wrath. Permission to teach them otherwise?"  
The incurable optimism of her droid made the Sith smile. Superior numbers, indeed... It slowly occurred to her that a whole warship of soldiers, droids and Jedi might indeed qualify as a real challenge. Uncomfortable cold seeped into her heart, as realism introduced itself again. Without a miracle, or an uncanny combination of speed, luck, and Republic idiocy, she was as good as dead. True, her chances on the Red Reaper hadn't been any better, but with the black battering ram at her side back then, the whole concept of chance or luck had somehow become irrelevant. Here, though, things were different. SP-02 was good, but it was no Darth.  
Again Victoria nearly saw the black shadow of the armoured Lord behind her. Whatever had been in the last bottle from the Black Talon, it was potent stuff... She rolled her eyes at the illusion, and the shades became part of the walls again.  
The Sith assassin called upon the Force and enshrouded herself in darkness. If she hurried, if she could sidestep enough foes, if she could reach the ominous 'general' in time and create enough distractions on the way to even the odds a bit, then she might even be lucky enough to come back alive. And then, if she did, and with the Dark Council's wrath averted, she would deal with the Moff. That prospect felt like hot water on the layer of ice that had formed around her soul.

* * *

For some time, Victoria's luck held. She moved as carefully as she could, stayed in the shadows, Force-tricked those Republic troops whom she had to get close to, and fed false data into any unguarded computer console she could find. Her headache had reintroduced itself and got steadily worse, as exhaustion through constant Force use claimed its toll, but she was Sith. She could deal with this. The Republic defenders were swarming the ship and looking for any and all intruders, but decoy signals and some malfunctioning relays here and there kept the enemy troops busy.  
Somewhere along her way, Lord Kell reached a section of the ship that lead to the crew's quarters. Since her head was starting to kill her, and it might as well do it more than just figuratively if she didn't get a chance to recharge her mental batteries, the Sith passed along one of the frequent patrols, and slipped through the next door. The room was small, but mercifully empty. Two signals on her datapad, and one of her scrambling routines had taken care of possible monitoring devices as well. Lord Kell dropped down on a military-grade chair, which nevertheless felt like the most blessed piece of furniture in the entire history of the galaxy, lifted her Force Cloak, and spent the next minute with breathing and massaging her temples. She really could have done with something to eat, too, but whoever usually used the little room had unfortunately not put any spare ration bars onto his or her table.

For what felt like the twentieth time, Victoria was startled into action by a half-imagined, half-real movement at the edge of her vision. But by now she didn't even reach for her lightsaber any more, as it was again only the haunting black shadow of her former brother-in-arms. She looked into the still-familiar picture of his dark mask, which hung before her eyes, and moved her hand through it, as if swatting a fly. Vaguely annoyed at the image's persistence, the Sith just resolved to close her eyes again.

"Lord Kell. Report."

Victoria groaned. She could cope with strange visions, both those induced by the Force or by sheer stress, but if those figments of her mind started to talk, then she really needed a good night's rest. Her subconsciousness had even gotten Fortis' voice right, the matter-of-fact tone, the echoes of ancient tombs which always seemed to lurk behind his words, as well as his habit of not wasting any syllable. The Sith blinked, but the vision stubbornly remained before her nose.  
"Sorry", Victoria rebuked gruffly, while not feeling sorry at all, "I don't speak to hallucinations."

She stood up, called on the Force again to hide herself and her droid from view, and left the relative security of the small crew quarter. Whatever lay before her, it was likely better than being scolded by her own mind.

* * *

About ten steps outside the next hallway, Victoria tripped. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, since only three Republic troopers were in sight, and those were easy prey for her lightsaber and her droid's blaster fire. But the fighting triggered the alarm systems, and the Sith hurried towards the next console and tried to salvage what she could. Might as well add some fireworks elsewhere, if the Republic's inept technicians had still left her at least one of the about ten critical flaws of the old Thranta-class computer systems that she knew about to exploit...  
Something ringed. Victoria looked around, and a dark sense of foreboding grasped her mind. But even darker was the familiar picture of the black-armoured Darth, which had again appeared out of thin air.

"Lord Kell. Something went awry with the communication."

The assassin gave the image a look that would have had any regular trooper, Republic or Imperial alike, running screaming. It had no visible effect on the annoying and annoyed vision, however. Victoria lifted her hand, and punctuated each word with a point of her finger.

"You. Are. One. Blasted. Black. Beverage."

Suddenly, it became very quiet on the Brentaal Star. Even the alarm had stopped. And, to make matters worse, something appeared to be slightly wrong with Victoria's throat.

"Blasted black beverage?"

Lord Kell coughed a little. Probably only the dust of the Republic cruiser that had caught itself in her lungs. "Blasted black beverage", she confirmed, as her temper started to flare. Unfortunately, with rising anger and rising adrenaline levels, her mind became a little clearer again. And in this case, it meant uncomfortable realisations.

"Er... aren't you?" she added, way more meekly than she would have liked. Stupid Republic ship didn't even have a reliable climate control; Victoria was feeling so cold that goose bumps were forming all over her body. She shivered.

"Lord Kell. Are you _drunk_?" There was no mistaking the mix of incredulous disbelief and lingering furiousness in Fortis' voice. Well, Victoria had already known that her situation was about hopeless, so having another possible death sentence upon her didn't bother her nearly as much as it should have.

"Tipsy", she corrected. "To stay really drunk, I would have had to drink at least another bottle of... whatever that last one was by now."

It was one of the occasions where Darth Fortis just decided to ignore her rambling. Victoria thanked the galaxy for this small mercy.

"Kell. Whatever it is you are doing, stop it now and come back to Dromund Kaas. Your presence is requested."

Victoria looked around and didn't really know whether she should feel relief at not being berated for her behaviour, or panic, for that was an order that she simply couldn't follow, even though she might have wanted to do so right now.

"Er... ", she tried, "that might be a little difficult at the moment. I am sort of busy."

The cold around her got more pronounced by the second.

"Kell, your tone is not welcome."

And with that, Victoria lost it. Her mask of strained recklessness slipped, crumbled into nothingness, and she felt her upper lip twitch ominously as she struggled for some form of control. Out of reflex she called upon the Force again, but not even the soothing dark red flames would come at her command. At least she was able to stop herself from hyperventilating, but the spectacle she was making was embarrassing enough in itself.

"Do you really think I want to be here?" she all but shouted, and clasped her hand onto her mouth in pure dread when she noticed that her voice had skipped about three octaves and rang in her own ears like a desperate child's plea. "I am here because of the Empire, for the Empire, whatever, and because your boss and his colleagues will have my liver with a nice Ziostan brandy otherwise."

Victoria stared at the holo image, as Fortis shook his head and moved his hand to his mask in what was likely a subconscious gesture. Obviously her headache was infectious, even through large distances.

"Lord Kell. No one in his or her right mind would dare touch that level of toxicity. Now, would you _please_ start talking sense?"

The pure shock of hearing sarcasm from her old ally, plus the unprecedented use of a polite filling word, cooled Victoria's overheated mind enough to allow her to think straight for three seconds in a row. Of course he didn't know. How could he? It wasn't likely that Moff Morose Muscles just gave official speeches about his secret missions.

"I am somewhere in the middle of the Brentaal Star, trying to catch or kill a defected prisoner under the guard of a whole Republic legion", she said, and thanked all the stars that her voice sounded more normal again. "SP-02 is with me, my head hurts, but for now we've avoided serious injury. And before you ask: No, I have not taken a sudden shine to suicide missions, but was ordered by one Moff Kilran, speaking for the Dark Council, to achieve this. Or die trying."

The silence stretched, as Victoria felt the Darth's attention and scrutiny through light years of space dust. But she didn't care, and just stared back, open, yet defiant, daring him to doubt her. Whatever it was that he saw in her eyes, it was obviously enough to convince the black figure of her sincerity. Sanity was likely another question entirely, but that didn't really matter by now.

"Kell, take the next route to safety. That is an order. And leave this comm channel open."

The black mask vanished, and Victoria gaped in wonder, completely surprised that she was still in possession of all her limbs. Even better, she now had sort of an excuse to cut her mission short, for disobedience in front of a Darth was not something the Dark Council would overlook, either. Unfortunately, the nearest route towards freedom was the way ahead, towards the escape pods, and towards her target. And with masses of Republic troops behind her, it might even be the safer route. Lord Kell grasped her lightsaber, opened the next door, and ran directly into a whole nest of enemy soldiers. Each and every one of them had their respective guns trained onto her, and an astonishingly ugly Mon Calamari commander grinned his fishy smile with such pride that the Sith's stomach started to revolt again.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire... And to think that she had really felt a shadow of hope just seconds ago.

"So, you think your tough meat?" he taunted, and Victoria was profoundly reminded of Corellian clam chowder. Which she hated. "Ha! Part of me was hoping you would try to board this ship!"

Victoria used the seconds of enemy gloating to look around and weight her options. One Sith and one droid, against a room of Republic veterans. A large room of highly trained Republic veterans, who didn't seem to be easily intimidated.

"Careful", she warned, but her heart wasn't fully in it, "people who threaten me have appalling mortality rates..."

For what was very likely the last and final time, the image of Darth Fortis sprang into Victoria's view. By now the Sith didn't care whether it was illusion, hallucination or a true communication attempt, she was just... glad... to see the familiar mask once more. Even though it felt definitely wrong to admit it.

"Fortis?" she sighed, "you're not so bad, you know that, right? Even with your spiky armour, and your _satisfactory_ sullen social surliness..."

With a bit more time to think about them, the assassin would have tried for something more regal and impressive – as potential last words went, her choice was pretty low on any scale she could imagine. Victoria ignored the battle cries of her opponents, ignited her lightsaber and rushed forwards, eager to take as many of them with her as she could. Blaster bolts hit her blade and from there the walls, enemies fell under her lightning arches, and at least one Republic grunt went down thanks to a well-placed blaster shot by her trusty SP unit, but the Sith was tired. Her vision blurred again, and this time, there wouldn't be a steadfast ally who could just throw the last twenty-something soldiers into the next wall. The assassin focused her strength, fixated the fish-headed commander, and threw a ball of pure lightning at him, smiling at the fizzling sound and his cry of anguish. But then gravity struck, her leg muscles finally gave in, and Victoria dropped down, cursing the Republic troops for not finishing her sooner. She didn't want to die, far from it, but if she had to, she at least didn't want to die on her knees.

All the light went from the room. Victoria had managed to keep her eyes open, at least she thought so, but she couldn't see a thing all of a sudden. Oppressive dark cold swept through her, froze her, and an otherworldly nightmare sound, half hiss, half terrible cry, filled the air. If there was indeed any air left around her. But there was no pain. That thought somehow managed to pass through the chaos in Victoria's brain – if this was death, why had there been no pain?  
The Sith couldn't even guess how much time had passed, but finally, there was silence. Deep, cold silence, like one would expect on an aeon-dead world. Victoria wondered whether this was were Sith spirits went, after their death, and would have chuckled if she had still been in possession of her vocal chords. All the time she had laughed at the Jedi's concept of becoming one with the Force after their respective deaths, for after a life of pure boredom, looking forward to an afterlife of more boredom seemed just hilarious to her. The irony of finding herself in a very similar place right now wasn't lost on her, though. Well, at least she'd had something she could call 'life', in contrast to the dull guardians of the light side.

Dust got caught in Lord Kell's nose, and even though her mind was busy contemplating philosophy, her lungs weren't burdened by such endeavours. Reflexes took over, and she sneezed.

Strange. The assassin had never heard of Sith spirits needing to...

Victoria jumped up, staggered, but somehow managed to stay on her feet. Ignoring the cold sweat that clung to her, and the feeling that she was wading through quicksand despite clearly standing in simple air, she looked around. Lights exploded before her eyes, like her own personal fireworks, and her head was feeling as if it was caught in the claws of a Jurgoran, but despite these sources of irritation, she was clearly very much alive. The same, alas, couldn't be said about the Republic troops. The commander was dead, grilled by her lightning, his fish head as ugly in defeat as it had been before. Victoria had expected this, as she had put her last strength into this final effort. But the rest of the soldiers... Those who didn't wear a helmet wore expressions that Victoria had never seen in her life, and she knew a thing or two about terror. No blood was visible anywhere around those poor souls, though, and this somehow freaked the Sith out even further. Just contorted corpses, with twisted, perverted faces full of echoes of what must have been horrors beyond imagination.

What in the galaxy had happened here?

"SP-02, I think I may just owe you a pay rise", Victoria quipped, and tried valiantly to shield herself with irony. It didn't work, though, and her voice sounded very small in the large room, which had recently become a mausoleum. She shuddered and wondered if she'd ever feel warmth again – the climate controls of the Brentaal Star seemed to be another victim of whatever had transpired.

"Master, I am not responsible for most of the transitions from yet-breathers to non-breathers. However, may I mention that some of your vital parameters are not within acceptable levels? I would suggest taking some of the stims left by those former nuisances. Circumstances indicate they won't find use for them any more."

Victoria flashed her droid a grateful glance. Anything normal, like SP's familiar voice, was very much welcome right now. Carefully avoiding to look at the Republic defenders' faces, the Sith collected some medical equipment, and unused combat-grade stimulants and adrenals. Usually she avoided those, but right now, nothing was normal.

Could it really be... The Sith knew perfectly well that some of her stronger colleagues were able to choke someone through the Force, even when the intended target was some sectors away. She could do it herself, if need be, even though she tended to refrain – Victoria had never been a fan of migraines. But ripping the very life out of a whole room of people, with enough fine control to spare just one single person, and over a distance that was larger than just large...

"SP-02, what do you think has just happened here?" the Sith asked, while dreading the answer. Her droid looked around, and shrugged, or at least it simulated the gesture.

"Poison gas leak", it said. "No visible wounds, fast deaths, and you possess a highly trained resistance towards toxins, Master."

Relief flowed through Victoria's veins, and she nearly laughed. How stupid of her to overlook the simplest explanation... Well, she had been under great stress, and probably had a minor shock, too, so the Sith was ready to forgive herself.

"So much for space magic", she smiled. "Could you please take a sample? I'd like to study this poison further. Perhaps I can exploit it some other time, if it is a typical component of Republic cruisers' climate control systems or something..."

It all made sense! She had just known that something was seriously wrong with the Brentaal Star's environmental systems. Awfully convenient of the substance to be released just when she was about to get beaten, though, but she wasn't about to argue with her luck.

SP-02 shook its metallic head. "I am profoundly sorry, Master", it declared, "but I can't detect any kind of poison around here, even with my special scientific sensors."

Victoria gaped in disbelief. "But didn't you just say...", she stammered.

"I did, Master. A poison gas leak is the most logical explanation. The minor flaw of this theory is the complete and utter lack of physical evidence. There has been no explosion, no release of foreign substances, no variances in atmospheric pressure. Just death."

Without commenting this further, Victoria turned, collected more stims, and used any and all of them, until she saw colourful butterflies on the walls and her mind stopped screaming. One single thought remained, though – how came it that Darth Azamin was still alive?

* * *

 _The Brentaal Star, Escape Pods, 30 BEA_

The way towards the escape pods was mercifully short. Lord Kell needed a little more time than usually, though, because she frequently stopped to admire all the beautiful multi-coloured flowers and fireworks which weaved through the air. Thanks to her SP unit, those stops remained short, anyway. Through her and around her, the Force was flowing freely, whispering and showing her what was to come. Her target was close, the general nearby. The Sith could feel him and his fear, like a vine cat could smell its prey.

One door blocked her way, and Victoria didn't bother searching for controls. The stimulants and adrenals in her system demanded outlets, and she obeyed gladly. Lightning hissed, metal screamed, and the way forward was clear. Or it would have been, had there not been one single robed Twi'lek with a lightsaber between her and her target. The assassin shook her head in disbelief at the girl's attempt at bravery – her face was a mask of defiance, but her lekku told another story entirely. And there was no hiding the level of panic radiating from her.

"Halt where you are. I am Yadira Ban, Padawan of the Jedi Order. I was sent to protect the general, and you will not pass."

"Well, that is about what Commander Cuttlefish said, before his demise, though I give you points for phrasing it more nicely", Victoria grinned through her teeth, and the girl became even paler. Obviously the Jedi had felt the disturbance in the Force as well, even though she was likely ignorant of some of the facts.

"I intend to drive you back, meter by meter, if need be", the Padawan stated, though there was a clear tremor in her voice. "Just as the Republic pushed the Sith Empire into the dark of the galaxy."

Victoria rolled her eyes and marvelled at the level of hot air the Jedi could still spout even in the face of terror. Not for much longer, though. The Sith called on the Force, and exploded in pure energy. Fatigue? Never heard of it. Headache? Ha, what was that? Those adrenals were brilliant inventions. Ten seconds later, the Twi'lek lay on the ground, while her lightsaber hilt rolled towards the entrance, its rattling the only noticeable sound in the whole room. Victoria sighed, very content with herself.

"Did you know that there are three large, violet-mauve syrupy squirrels down at the back wall?" she asked the beaten enemy, and couldn't really decide whether she should kill the Jedi first, or allow herself a second or two to watch the astonishing sight. Ah, but better be safe than sorry. Victoria activated her red blade again, raised her weapon... and hesitated, as she saw moisture on the girl's petrified face.

"Pardon me asking", the Sith blurted out, "but how old are you, exactly?"

Come to think of it, what exactly _was_ a Padawan?

"Fifteen standard years", the woman, no, the blasted _teenager_ , whispered, and Victoria jerked in surprise. The Jedi had sent an apprentice to guard the general? That was low. But it was also the truth. And that meant... that the Sith had a problem.

Lord Kell deactivated her lightsaber. "I don't kill children", she declared, and gave the Jedi girl a dark look. "But you better not try anything in the next five minutes, otherwise SP here will shoot you a nice new pattern into your head-tails."

Victoria turned and approached the last person in the room that was still sort of standing. Or crouching, as the case might be. A teenage girl, and an old, injured man, who radiated defeat and hopelessness. Pathetic.

"You can put aside your weapon. I won't try to run", the man coughed. "I was a general in the Imperial military service. Did they tell you that when they sent you here? Did they even know?"

The only thing that Victoria knew right now was that she really needed to find a way to take revenge on Moff Muscles. Fighting, killing, all was well, but not when children and elderly non-combatants were involved. And this level of psycho-rational quarrel and rambling, about motives, and reasons, or whatever... Why did everybody assume that she gave a damn about it?

"You have me, then. Me, my stomach full of blood and my implant full of cybernetic secrets and stolen plans", the general finished. "What will you do?"

Victoria looked up. Implant, hm? She opened her mind to the Force, pushed, and broke through the defector's mental shields without encountering any noticeable resistance. He wasn't lying – all his valuable secrets, simply stored in his cybernetic augmentations...

Not any longer, though. With more care than she'd usually use, Victoria shot a well-placed surge of lightning through the device, making the general scream, but stopping short from doing any real damage to the man.

"Be glad that I hate one certain Moff", the Sith grumbled. "Feel free to share any Imperial cookie recipes with your new friends in the Republic; we'll wipe you all out soon enough and reap the results, anyway. Coming, SP? We're finished here."

The syrupy squirrels were gone, and her eyesight started to blur again. Victoria knew that she was in for the migraine of the century, and hurried towards the escape pods. With the help of her droid, she succeeded in launching the little space craft, and even managed to stay conscious until she was back at the Black Talon. There, she walked onto the bridge, nodded towards the officers, smiled, and ripped the second incarnation of NR-02 into small, metallic shreds.

As the assassin fell down onto the next free chair, ready to sleep till they reached Dromund Kaas, she saw a dark shadow again, a black-armoured vision. With no way of differentiating between illusion or reality, she just lifted her hand in a kind of virtual toast.

"Mission successful", Lord Kell yawned, and didn't bother trying to fight sleep any more.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 30 BEA_

Victoria stepped out of her shuttle, and made her way through the usual chaos at the Citadel's entrance. She was still feeling drowsy, but a good night's sleep and a wonderful meal on the Black Talon had helped immensely. Plus, the grateful crew had been invaluable in fixing the rest of her SP droids, under supervision of SP-02, of course, and with five of her trusty bodyguards around her, she wasn't exactly unguarded. Darth Serpentis had summoned her the second the Black Talon reached Kaas City, and the young assassin wasn't so keen on provoking yet another Darth in quick succession. At least if she could help it.

When Victoria closed in on the entrance to the Sphere of Mystery's citadel section, she felt a cold, dark aura, which was becoming way too familiar by now. Great. She knew that she'd have to speak to Fortis eventually, since he, too, had basically ordered her to come to Dromund Kaas, but she had hoped to postpone that meeting until she was at her full strength again. Not that she intended to fight him, or anything, quite the contrary, but talking to the black-armoured Darth rarely went as she expected. She fully intended to thank him for his help, but was afraid to end up in a heated argument.  
The inquisitor made a beeline towards her master, who was standing in the door that led towards the main hall. Something was going on inside; Victoria heard voices, but right now, she didn't really care. "Master", she greeted, and bowed. Lord Kell had one moment to wonder about the additional set of lines that played around the old Darth's red eyes, before Serpentis grasped her shoulders, shook her slightly, and started to fuss over her like a very scary mother hen. Had the whole galaxy started to become insane while she was away?

"Ouch! Careful, please, that blaster wound is not yet fully healed!"

Red fire flared around the master assassin, and Victoria was hit by such a wave of healing Force energy that her legs started to wobble again, and she literally felt her remaining scarring tissue mend. Dark red eyes met yellow ones, and the Sith was slowly beginning to worry about her master's behaviour.

"Never ever do that again, young dragon", her master finally said, and Victoria had trouble to evaluate all nuances of emotions the old Sith was displaying. She coughed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, and a tad awkward.

"Er... you are Sith, could you please start acting like one?" she all but begged. "Besides, I got the job done, in the end. The traitor is no longer a concern, the secrets destroyed..."

The look in her master's eyes made her stop and wince.

"Lord Kell, nobody cares about a hand full of outdated security algorithms, old codes, and three scrapped ship designs. Why in the galaxy did you attack a Republic battle cruiser in what's basically an aluminium balloon in comparison, and if that wasn't insane enough, why did you personally go berserk against a whole legion of the crew, without any mortal concerns or common sense?"

Victoria scratched her head. "You really do care, don't you?" she asked in wonder, which earned her another small shake, and another of those looks.

"In case you've forgotten", Serpentis growled, but didn't seem to be really mad about it, "you are my apprentice. Mine. And I have plans for you, Lord Kell. You are one of the sharpest weapons under my command, and believe me, I am going to make use of this. But I can't do it when you insist on throwing your life away. What do I have to do to teach you some form of rationality?"

Victoria contemplated shouting back, but was still feeling way too caught off guard to make any real effort.

"There was a Moff, or Grand Moff, named Kilran", she said, "and he ordered me to do so. Dark Council orders, threat of death, the usual."

Serpentis closed her eyes. "Then it's true. Stupid man", she sighed, and shook her head. "Kell, as I said, you are my apprentice. If there is Dark Council business you have to concern yourself with, I should be the one to deliver the order. Failing this, you'd of course be expected to obey another councillor, if you aren't on a direct personal mission for me. You are not, however, forced to jump at just anybody's orders, no matter what they might say. I'll even give you a little hint, for future reference: Darths sit on the Dark Council, not lieutenants, not captains, nor moffs. Try to remember that, will you?"

Despite the slight insult, Victoria felt warmth circulate through her body, and smiled.

"I promise, my Master", she said, relieved as Serpentis finally released her, and started to grin in earnest. "But I tell you, it was quite the ride..."

Lord Kell interrupted herself, as she felt a stab of pure cold coming from the great hall. And... terror. Horror. A level of dread that was becoming infectious, fast. "What is going on in there?" she whispered, suddenly both curious, and afraid of the answer.

"Another debriefing", Serpentis answered, but even the old Darth didn't seem to be fully comfortable right now. "Come on, Lord Kell, let's get you another hot meal, and perhaps a new set of robes..."

But Victoria had already stepped forwards. The hall was empty, more or less, with the exception of two well-known figures. Darth Fortis was there, which was no surprise, considering that she had felt his presence. The black-armoured Sith stood with his back towards her, likely aware of her approach, but was busy talking to the other human around. Grand Moff Kilran was very still, apparently frozen, neither talking back, nor moving a single muscle.

"Who of the Dark Council gave the order?"

There was something slightly... off... with Fortis' speech. Victoria knew it well enough by now, and it was definitely his voice. Cold, controlled fury, delivered in what sounded like the deepest echoes of dark, lost caverns. Still, something... was wrong.

"He didn't specify that when he called me", the young assassin interrupted, as the silence started to get too heavy for her taste. "I mean, perhaps he just invented it, who cares..."

The heavily armoured warrior turned. Victoria got one glimpse of Kilran's unobstructed face, but didn't get the chance to jump at the level of pure, twisted agony on it, which seemed even worse than the expressions of the unfortunate Republic bodyguards of the Mon Calamari captain back on the Brentaal Star. Instead, her gaze was drawn towards Fortis' black mask, like a sleepwalker, half against her will.

There was no mask. Victoria stared directly into two burning, glowing, _blazing_ depths, which might very well have been the entrance to a very personal version of all Corellian hells, or the heart of a dying star. She felt her mouth open without her control, but the scream wouldn't come. Frozen in silent terror, the young Sith remained in place for a second, until her muscles reacted on their own accord, and Victoria felt herself running, nearly crashing into her master on the way out, just out, away, as far away as possible.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks again to all who are reading this!


	10. Asylum

_Wild Space, en route to Asylum, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

"Trandoshani flat cakes. At least if we can get them. I do suppose there are some types of Zakuulan flat cakes, if there aren't any from Trandosha on Asylum? Oh, and chocolate. Coruscati chocolate, if possible, but I suppose I'll take any kind, as long as there is enough sugar in it. No artificial sweetener, though. That's just wrong. And while we're at it, there are these pastries from Dromund Kaas I've always been fond of... HK, are you making notes?"

Raven looked around, to her faithful, albeit bloodthirsty, droid, and noticed Lea. The Jedi was rolling her eyes.

"Best to add some doses of insulin to the list", her sister commented dryly. "Or do you actually plan on adding anything healthy to that 'priority list' of yours?"

"I was coming to that in a second! Besides, I've spend five years without any food at all, and with the stress we've been through these last days, I'd say we've all earned some comfort food. Hey, HK, add cocoa to the list, please. And milk. And ice cream. Do we have some kind of fridge and freezer on this ship? Not carbonite, of course. A regular, standard freezer. If not, add it to the list."

Lea sighed. "I can't deny that with all the action we see on a regular basis, chances are that we'll work off all the calories pretty swiftly, anyway. Just do me the favour and add some tea to that list of yours, will you? I'm almost out of reserves."

Raven just stared at her sister in disbelief. "Almost? When you helped free me from Zakuul, we lost your original shuttle. Are you telling me that you found a conveniently-placed bag of herbal tea bags right under the seat of the Zakuulan replacement shuttle? Or, may the Force help us, ancient tea leaves somewhere here inside the Gravestone?"

They really needed to rechristen the ship. After analysing its terrible powers.

"Never underestimate the ingenuity of Jedi synthweavers, or the endurance of Jedi masters", the Barsen'thor grinned. "I always carry everything of relevance with me, be it replacement lightsaber parts, or an emergency ration of herbal tea."

"Jedi synthweavers? In case you didn't notice, sis, you're wearing a Sith's armour."

"And I am eternally grateful to you for giving it to me on a permanent basis, after our brief trip to Korriban. I know that Ashara wasn't very pleased to part with it. But since I had to have it adapted, anyway, I thought I might as well ask the craftsmen to add some extra pockets."

* * *

"What we really need are people. Trustworthy people. Engineers and technicians, and at least one healer. I suppose the former are easier to find than the latter. Koth, you know your way around this part of the galaxy. Are there any contacts of yours around who we might call on?"

Lord Kallig was still thinking about the Gravestone's miracle-doom cannon, and possible sources of its power. Her fantasy was providing increasingly disturbing suggestions regarding its cost, and she couldn't wait to start its analysis in earnest.

The Zakuulan native nodded. "Sure, I know some people. Even better, my crew is eager to join us. Join you. With them, we'll get the best out of this ancient wonder, I promise."

Raven smiled at Koth's good mood. She, too, couldn't help but start feeling slightly optimistic. Simply being able to move again, to be free to choose a direction... It felt good, despite all the shadows of doom that were hanging over them.

* * *

"Lana? There is still the issue with communications. We really need a safe, encrypted communication link from the Gravestone to the rest of the galaxy, both to keep in touch with your contacts, find old allies, and make new friends, preferably without Arcann or Vaylin listening in."

The Sith copied Koth, and nodded her agreement. "I've thought about that, too. I think there are some people on Asylum who might be able to help us, for a price."

"As long as they charge credits and not soul pieces or something, that should be fine."

Hopefully. Raven was glad about her own paranoia, which had made her split her former fortune to a multitude of secret accounts, and alternative investments. From what she'd seen, the intergalactic banking sector hadn't collapsed completely, despite everything that had happened, which meant that she stood a good chance of being still quite wealthy. Being a Dark Councillor had had its perks.

Come to think of it – how likely was the outpayment of five year's worth of salary? Being frozen in carbonite by enemy forces should equal being a prisoner of war, and that, in turn, should entitle her to at least fifty percent of her usual official monthly income, even though that law was supposed to take care of any family members...

Raven tried to picture what Empress Acina would say to such a request. As far as she knew, the Sith Empress hadn't reinstalled a new Dark Council, but was ruling the remnants of the old Empire alone. Acina... Lord Kallig knew her from their joint hunt for the Dread Masters' devices of horror, which the rogue Siths' henchmen had stolen from the former leader of the Sphere of Technology. Acina had allowed herself to be tricked, but lived to tell the tale, which meant that she was crafty and arrogant enough. She also had a certain amount of self-assurance, audacity and boldness, from what Raven remembered. Still, Empress Acina was actually good news. She was less crazy than some other candidates, perhaps even reasonable enough to offer support against their common foe on the Eternal Throne, and even if not – Raven had no doubts that she could defeat the current Empress herself, if need be. Right now neither the Empire nor herself would benefit from such a move, but some day, the time to address this issue would come.

* * *

"Approaching Asylum."

Lana's comment woke Raven from her contemplations. With hope of safe communications within some short hours, she couldn't afford to ignore one big issue much longer. Confronting one's romance interest... former boyfriend... boyfriend... whatever... after five years would have been bad enough, even if they _had_ previously talked about what exactly they meant to each other, but with that omnipresent ghost inside her own head, things got especially awkward. Theron Shan... Even just thinking about the Republic agent did funny things to her stomach. A strange knot of hope and dread was forming inside her entrails, albeit eased a little by the message that Lana hat conveyed.

 _Agent Shan says that he remembers, and that he always will..._

Raven inconspicuously wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked out of the front windows, eager for some form of distraction. Preferably one that wasn't shooting at them. And she got her wish. Out of the nebula, artificial structures appeared. A skyport. Asylum.

"Told you we'd make it", Koth said. Lana didn't seem to share his confidence, though.

"We haven't docked yet", she reminded him, and Vortena jerked.

"I should probably figure out how to land this thing...", their pilot mumbled under his breath, and all of a sudden, Raven's concerns were replaced by the very acute and real fear of outrunning the Eternal Fleet, only to get killed in a ship crash on a remote pirate-outlaw outpost. Out of the frying pan and out of the fire, directly into the next lightsaber blade...

"You're sure that place is safe?" Raven asked, since she had a feeling that questioning Koth's flying abilities would do more harm than good. Something about the metallic mass before her gave her an uneasy feeling.

"We need allies as much as safety", Lana returned, and Raven was inclined to agree with her friend. "That shadowport isn't on any chart. It's a haven for refugees fleeing Arcann's forces."

"We'll be among friends", Koth added, and Raven remembered what he'd said about his crew.

The door hissed, and the young Sith felt Senya's approaching presence, just as she heard her steps. Her appearance was also noticed by the others, and Lord Kallig literally felt Koth's mood darken.

"Mostly", he added, in a tone that was pure sarcasm.

Raven wondered whether or not they also had a chance to recruit a psychologist on Asylum. Some sort of group therapy might do wonders for their strange band of 'friends'...

Lana stood up to face Senya. "Tell your associates we've arrived."

That earned her one of the knight's looks. Raven was somehow glad that she wasn't on the receiving end of the blue-grey x-ray stare.

"They knew that days ago", the warrior stated, without offering any more information. Just as Raven wanted to ask about the why and how, Koth seemed to discover his mind-reading abilities.

"You want to explain how?" he asked, no, demanded, with way more venom in his voice than Raven would have used. Predictably, he got another stare as answer, plus a risen eyebrow, and met only silence.

"Figures", he grumbled.

Raven, however, had had enough. Secrets here, bad mood there... They had enough enemies already.  
"If we don't all start trusting each other, we're doomed", she stated, putting as much conviction behind her words as she could. Neither of them had the luxury to waste time by acting like miffed school children.

"Trust is a rare commodity these days", Lana commented, and her words hit home. Wasn't she, Raven, any better than Senya? She hadn't shared the truth about Valkorion and his occupation of parts of her mind with Koth or the knight. Granted, Senya was still a new face from her point of view, but Vortena had helped to save her. And somehow, Raven got the feeling that Koth wouldn't be very pleased when he'd finally discover what she'd kept from him.

"Demand: Are. We. There. Yet?"

Good old HK. He always knew how to make Raven smile.

* * *

 _Asylum, Docking Bay of the Gravestone, 5 AEA_

Despite Raven's concerns, the landing on Asylum went reasonably well. Two pipes of questionable origin exploded, three crates of what was likely smuggled goods fell to an uncertain fate, and the Gravestone got some new scratches into its ancient hull, but as far as the sensor logs told, there were no injuries or fatalities among either the crew or the people of the spaceport. And when the docking clamps had secured the ship, and Lord Kallig finally stood in the fresh air of the docks, she allowed herself a smile – and a deep breath. Even though there was a slight hint of sewerage to the atmosphere around her.

Movement. That was to be expected, to an extend, since their landing had attracted all kinds of spectators. But one group, a large group, of people closed in. Raven sensed their determination. Somehow the Sith doubted that they simply wanted to welcome them to Asylum. She stepped forward, shielding Koth behind her, and put on her best 'you don't want to cross me' face, as the leader of the group got nearer.

"Mighty fine ship you've got there. We'll be coming aboard."

Yep. No flowers, no songs, no 'Welcome to Asylum' posters... only threats. Sometimes Raven hated being right.

"This doesn't have to come to blows", Raven said, with all the calm she could master. "Stand down."

These guys were no danger. If there was one thing the young Sith was absolutely sure about, this was it. But Lord Kallig didn't want a fight, didn't want more needless bloodshed. She was tired of fighting, tired of violence, and had really hoped to find a little respite from everything here in this shadowy outpost. But the man in charge grinned ominously, and Raven braced for the worst.

"Ha! Captain!"

Before the young Sith could do more than stare stupidly at the laughing leader, Koth interrupted with introductions.

"Outlander... my crew. The best engine-burners in Wild Space."

Raven closed her eyes and tried valiantly to fight another headache. Perhaps she should add some painkillers to her list of things that she needed to purchase.  
"You could've introduced them sooner", she stated mildly, and focused on the other items on her list. There was no need to argue with anybody, and she'd have some chocolate soon...

Koth laughed. "This was more fun", he smiled, and Raven had to picture quite a lot of Trandoshani flatcakes to stop herself from shaking him out of sheer frustration.

Fun. Yeah. Ha. Ha.

Momentarily distracted, Raven failed to notice the approach of another of Koth's men, until he stood right before her. Grey eyes looked at her, puzzled, but not unkindly, and something about the human seemed... familiar. The implant, for example... Where had she seen it before? It hadn't been so long ago...

"Do I know you?"

The words were out before Raven could stop them, even though they were a little blunt. But her unidentified new ally didn't seem to mind.

"Name's Ralo", he introduced himself. "I served aboard Darth Marr's destroyer. We thought you died when the ship exploded."

And with these few words, past memories hit Raven with full force. The dizzy, confusing, maddeningly claustrophobic hours on the doomed ship... the invading troops of then-unknown origin... her sister, trying to defend and save what could be saved, and hiding her own fear to not upset the crew further...  
Darkness threatened to engulf her, to swallow her whole, and Raven tasted bile. For a moment she again felt the despair, the sheer helplessness, the hopelessness of the whole situation. It had felt like the end had finally come.  
But it hadn't. Neither for herself, nor for her sister, despite all odds. And obviously not for Ralo, either. Raven clung to that thought like a lifeline, and let it pull her from the deep gloom of her memories. They had survived, despite everything, and because of that, there was still hope. Hope to change the galaxy for the better, hope to make everything right again.

"I may as well have", Raven answered Ralo's unspoken question, but there was no bitterness in her comment.

"Without you, none of us would've gotten off that ship", the former Republic corporal said, and Raven heard the deep emotions in his voice. "Never thought I'd get to say thanks."

So there had been other survivors. Her order to abandon the ship hadn't been for nought. Warmth filled Raven's body, flowed through her, took some of the terrible cold away that her memories had brought with them. What had been a mass of tightly locked-up darkness in her own mind now became interwoven with lighter strands. Perhaps in time, even this wound might heal.

"Glad you made it out", the young Sith answered, and had to struggle with the words. "Nice to see a familiar face."

Her words didn't even cover half of what she wanted to say, but Ralo seemed to understand, anyway.

* * *

 _Asylum, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

Exhausted, but satisfied, Raven dropped down on a chair, and opened one of the packages she had brought with her. Ten wonderful minutes later, the whole galaxy was looking considerably brighter, and something like deep contentment spread from her stomach to all her limbs. What a difference a favourite meal could make...  
The last hours had been quite busy, for all of them. Koth and his crew, or her new crew, had started to work immediately on the Gravestone. Lana had ventured out into the spaceport, to make contact with her network. Senya had vanished as well to find her own allies, Lea was on her way to rescue Koth's top engineer and teach some criminals why it was unwise to cross a Jedi Master, and HK was busy ensuring the Jedi's safety. Lord Kallig had discovered that most of her fortune was still at her disposal, and she'd made the most of it. The Gravestone was now full to the brim with everything they might or might not need, including Kolto tanks, provisions and ammunition to last for at least a year, and enough high-tech underworld stuff to outfit a small Imperial Intelligence Post.  
And there was herbal tea, and chocolate. Masses of both. After a cup from the former, and two bars from the latter, Raven felt ready to fight Arcann in person, if need be.

She was glad about it, because for what was to come, she needed every moral booster available to her. Before her stood the high-security communications terminal which had been installed just an our ago, and the small data pad, where Lana had left her all the data she'd need to contact one specific ally. Depending on the current location of Agent Shan, direct decoded face-to-face talk was likely impossible, but they'd at least be able to speak.

With her nerves suddenly frayed like crazy, Raven had to remind herself forcefully that, yes, it was a good thing to be finally able to talk to Theron.

No point in stalling. She was Lord Kallig, Darth Imperius, and had survived far worse. Through passion, strength...

Raven activated the encryption protocols and watched while her image on the screen became a distorted mess of interferences. Then, she waited. Every second suddenly felt like aeons, in which stars could be born and die, and whole civilizations could rise and fall.  
Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. Another image appeared, distorted like her own, and a voice sounded over the infinite dimensions of space. Naturally the terminal had an audio scrambling algorithm as well, for security reasons, but still, there was something familiar in it.

"Cockatoo to Duckling, please confirm."

Duckling. Raven had chuckled when she had seen that peculiar fluffy one of Lana's code names.

"Confirmation: Hope remains", the young Sith read from her notes. "Secure on my end."

The figure on the screen seemed to relax a little.

"Half-secure on mine, best to keep the encryption and leave out details. But it's good to hear from you, Duckling. Everything going well with the mission? And what about Golden Eagle? Were you able to stop her from doing something stupid, like forcing her way to her goal with just a toothbrush as a weapon?"

Raven swallowed.

"Mission's fine, and Golden Eagle is currently enjoying herself – saving innocents and beating up bad guys", she murmured, not trusting herself to speak louder for fear of fully breaking down. "But this is not Duckling. _Black_ Eagle here. I'm with Duckling and Golden Eagle."

Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and then the shadowy form on the screen moved frantically, as if to shake the camera, or to jump directly into it.

" _Black Eagle_?"

Theron's next words were of a sort which made Raven wonder where he'd learned them. Surely not while he was raised as a Jedi, but some of them were even a bit strong for the SIS. From the looks of it, his nose was now directly pressed to the camera.

"Er, forget this. Black Eagle? Are you alright?"

Raven swallowed again. And again. How to answer that question?

"Yes. No. Hells, both and neither", she whispered. "But better than before, if that's what you mean."

The figure on the small computer nodded so fiercely that Raven wondered whether Theron would suffer a whiplash for it.

"Sorry I couldn't be there to tha... you know. Get you out", he answered, and somehow Raven sensed his regret, even through the distance. She smiled, despite what she'd have to tell him in a second.

"Cockatoo? I've missed you", she admitted, and heard a chuckle over the comm.

"I didn't want to presume... We never really declared what this – you and me – is... was... Er, have I mentioned I'm bad at relationships? And right now, I likely have a small shock. Anyway, the feeling is mutual."

Speaking of shock...

"There has been a complication", Raven croaked, and hoped that her voice wouldn't break. "Before you say anything else, you have to know. Remember Golden Eagle and Mother Eagle? The ghost stories?"

The Sith knew that Theron had talked with her sister about that peculiar condition, where the young Lea Kell had carried the spirit of Darth Ignus through nearly twenty years of her life, before the ghost of the older Sith had slowly started to fade away. The spirit of their mother hadn't always been present, far from it, but Lea had told her that Ignus had always answered when she had needed her.

"Yes...", the puzzled answer came. Raven took a deep breath.

"And do you remember our oldest... 'friend'? The one who had very much fun with my second home?"

The image jerked.

"Yes." Theron's voice had now a definite hint of worry in it.

"Well", Raven whispered, "if we ever meet again, things might get a little awkward, at least if you repeat that goodbye scene from our little moon-adventure with your ancestor. Privacy is a thing that's unfortunately no option any more."

Silence. Then, the figure before her slowly shook its head.

"You can't possibly have meant what I just understood", Theron said, with more than just a hint of despair. Raven clenched her teeth.

"If you feel the need to curse fate, curse him, or scream a little, then I'm afraid it's very likely that you got the message", she answered, and braced herself for the worst.

"Don't. Lose. Hope."

With the conviction suddenly radiating from him, Raven wondered whether Theron had inherited more from his Force-powerful mother than he'd thought. Of course it wasn't battle meditation, but she still felt... strengthened.

"You can do this. We can do this. We'll sort this out", Theron stated, fiercely. But then, he laughed. Laughed. Was it the stress? Had he finally snapped under the strain?

"But you are wrong about one thing, Black Eagle", Shan continued, having rediscovered his sense for irony. "I'd repeat exactly what we did during our last moments on that beautiful little moon of horrors, with your permission, no matter how many senile, doddery old lords of darkness might watch. Blast it, when you said 'complication', I thought you'd meant something _serious_ , like you falling for that mask-wearing, robot-arm guy you had business with lately."

Raven couldn't help but smile herself.

"Hey, I wasn't in a position to do anything of that sort during the last years. But what about you? I half-expected to hear some lukewarm excuse from you, and a declaration that you found the woman of your life six months after our last goodbye, and promptly fathered at least one child with her."

Of course she only imagined it, but Raven could have sworn that Theron was rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, that's me. Very likely. You do remember I'm a workaholic, right? And the reasons? I mentioned that I am bad at relationships just seconds ago!"

"Or, you know, that you suffer from some terminal illness, and that you have to live your last days in a fancy hospital or something", Raven continued. Sometimes it was really unhealthy to have a fertile imagination.

"Uh-uh. Yeah. I feel like I've got a small cold or something, but surely it is something far worse, yes."

"Or you could shout at me for surely having cooperated with the enemy", the young Sith fabulated. "I mean, I was with the enemy for years, how shall you know that I am not a traitor?"

"Ra... Black Eagle, where in the galaxy do you get all these crazy ideas from? Nobody in their right mind would come up with even one of them!"

Raven shook her head. Obviously, she needn't have worried.

"Well, I read too much", she offered. But another smile started to form on her features. Theron couldn't see it, of course, but it was likely that he heard her relieved tone and reacted accordingly.

"You read the wrong stories", he insisted. "What about the one where an old friend comes back during a time of great need, has transformed into a total badass, helps the heroine to overcome all her enemies, and finally admits his lo... er... tells her something he should have told her a long time ago? Or what about the other story, where a young, rash would-be-knight is mentored by a young-but-wise heroine, finds his way in life thanks to her, becomes a hero himself and both save the world from dragons, mad gods and regular villains before getting ma... er... finally doing whatever they both want?"

There was something wrong with Raven's throat. And whatever it was, it was slowly spreading – her eyes were starting to feel funny, too.

"Is that so?" she asked, while fighting to get the words out. "Sounds... tolerable, I'd say. As long as this old friend or the hero-knight both have a sense of humour, of course. But it's better, way better, than what I've imagined, I give you that."

Both stared at each other's distorted image for some time, and Raven cursed the fact that they couldn't properly see each other. Finally, Theron cleared his throat.

"I have another story ready, if you've got the time, but stop me if I start to ramble", the agent stated, a bit haltingly, and continued, as Raven nodded. "You know, it's an old fairy tale. See, once upon a time, and in a galaxy far, far away, there was a young princess, who lived in a dark kingdom. But this was not your usual damsel-in-distress fairy-tale princess. Oh, she was beautiful, more beautiful than all the other people, and she also had some fine clothes that one could certainly admire, but she was also a fierce warrior, an unrelenting defender of her people. She was no fanatic, though, but a diplomat. A wise diplomat, who would have turned the dark kingdom to the light, if given enough time. But I am getting ahead of myself. The dark kingdom, the princess' home, was at war, with another powerful kingdom. In addition to that, there was another threat, more obscure, more hidden."

"A dark kingdom, and a light kingdom, and some strange threat?" Raven repeated, not knowing whether she should laugh, or start crying in earnest.

"Yes, exactly. So, the powerful warrior princess collected some of her friends, and faced the hidden threat, because she always did what she could to defend her emp... her kingdom. And during that endeavour, the princess met a guy from the light kingdom. Now, that guy was a kind of a puzzle. First, he was a bit of a failure, since he had been meant to become a knight in shiny armour, but hadn't succeeded in his trials. In fact, he'd failed spectacularly."

"Shiny armour is way overrated", Raven murmured. "And knights... Don't they usually come with horses? Horses are quite impractical."

"Maybe. It's a moot point, anyway. Second, the guy always said something wrong, and put his foot into his own mouth. Some might even say he did it on purpose, because he was so consequent in doing so, but perhaps he was just simply socially awkward. Whatever. So, with a lot of luck on his end, this guy managed to help the brave princess on her adventure, and when they finally met in person, he was thunderstruck. Not only because of her beauty, because he already knew how she looked like, and not only because of her strength and power, because he already knew all about it, too. No, he was astonished, and positively awed, about her inner beauty, about her inner strength, because he finally found that she also had the most gentle soul you can imagine. And the best sense of humour."

"Um, now you are certainly exaggerating", Raven interrupted, and blushed. "Nobody can possibly be that perfect."

"He, it's my fairy tale. I do know the story, and believe me, if anything, then I have understated the facts. So, that guy I told you about? That guy was also a fighter, and so they joined forces to combat the threat. They even managed to convince some of the other officials from both kingdoms to help them. And finally, with lots of luck and thanks to the incredible strength of the princess, they managed to find their shadowy foe, and to put him down. I think it was some kind of zombie overlord, for he should have been dead a long time ago. Anyway, things were looking both bright and grim, for the danger was gone, but the kingdoms were still at war – so what kind of a future could there be for two people who should have been enemies, but had started to mean more to each other? Much more?"

"When the guy you are talking about was really so inept, the princess must have suffered some kind of brain damage in between, right?" Raven teased, unable to stop herself.

Theron coughed. "That's entirely possible. But, again, it's a moot point to speculate, because then disaster struck. A real, terrible disaster. A big and _ugly_ dragon appeared, out of the deepest and unexplored mountains behind both of the kingdoms, and ravaged the lands, ate quite a lot of people, and then abducted the princess. And that guy I told you about? The only thing that kept him going was the knowledge that the princess was out there, and that it was still possible to rescue her. So he said goodbye to his light kingdom, for it had changed, and he didn't really feel at home there any more. The whole realm seemed to have lost its mind. And so he went out, on his own adventure, to free the princess."

"Oh?" Raven interrupted. "You mean, she was asleep in the dragon's lair, and he ventured out to wake her up again? By following the traditional protocol?"

"Well, the guy wouldn't have been adverse to the idea, I can tell you that much. Luckily, or unluckily as the case may be, the guy also had some allies on his quest, and while he was out fighting a minor lindworm, his allies succeeded in freeing the princess from right under the dragon's nose. And the guy didn't know whether he should curse fate for being too slow to be there himself, or to thank all deities of all pantheons he could imagine that the princess was free and mostly unharmed."

"And what happened then?" Raven asked, with more than just a hint of curiosity.

"That guy I spoke of had to wrap up some things and scale the lindworm, of course, but then he hurried like crazy to come back to the princess, and to see whether she would forgive him for being away when she'd needed him."

"I'd say she might just do so", the young Sith murmured, "at least if he brought some lindworm scales with him. Aren't princesses usually impressed by things like that?"

"Well, as I said, this princess was anything but a normal princess. But, yes, I certainly hope that you are right."

Raven looked up. "You said it was an old fairy tale", she reminded the agent. "So surely you know what happened in the end. Did the princess and the fighter destroy the dragon? Did they save their kingdoms? And did they finally succeed in bringing peace to the realm?"

Theron nodded heavily. That much was clear even with the encryption protocols online.

"In the end, they were able to stop the war, and made a new treaty", he said, and again radiated a conviction that rivalled Force voice manipulation. "But I don't think that they destroyed the dragon. Knowing the princess, and her impressive talent for diplomacy, I believe that she beat the dragon, then talked it down, tamed it, and made it into a stalwart defender of both their kingdoms."

Raven breathed deeply. "Possible", she admitted, "but the princess should better check how much and _what_ dragons eat. Could be a costly endeavour, to feed such a beast."

She coughed. "Cockatoo?"

"Yes?"

"You better hurry and get your feathery butt here really soon. Otherwise I'll have to kiss that blasted monitor."

* * *

 _Asylum, Back Alley, 5 AEA_

"Observation: That dark and foreboding alley is where we are supposed to meet Senya, master."

Raven smiled at HK's comment. After finishing her talk with Theron, the young Sith had checked on the others. Lea was back from her rescue mission, with the engineer, Tora, in tow, and Senya had sent word that Raven was supposed to meet her and her allies. So Lord Kallig had taken HK with her and ventured out, eager to see the knight's associates for herself.  
And there, in the semi-dark of the alley, stood indeed the former Zakuulan Knight. Senya seemed calm, like most times, and her eyes pierced the shadows. For a moment, there was something vaguely uncanny about her, a strange resemblance. But to whom, Raven couldn't say. Somewhere in her memory, an observation stirred, though it was too weak to fully reach her consciousness. Raven was just sure that it wasn't Satele Shan the knight reminded her of right now, but somebody else. Somebody dangerous.

"Right on time", Senya stated, calm and composed like the clear night sky. "My friends have been looking forward to this."

Raven shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was still feeling a little... worried, but tried to mask it.

"I hope our meeting goes well", the young Sith answered, and was glad about the familiar weight of her lightsaber at her side.

About ten seconds later, Raven was even more glad about having her favourite weapon right at her disposal. Two steps after passing the doorway herself, HK crashed into an energetic force field and fell to the ground with a loud thud. The Sith focused on Senya, who didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

"You better have a good explanation", Lord Kallig said, and made sure to force all hints of threats out of her voice. For now.

"Your droid is not a part of what must happen here", the warrior answered, and her eyes shone in the darkness again.

 _Must_ happen here? Raven felt the small hairs on her arms rise. She couldn't stand the concept of fate. Her patience was getting a little stretched.

"I spent five years stuck in one trap", she reminded the former Zakuul Knight, and a little piece of the emotions she was feeling crept into her voice. "I won't fall into another."

They reached a round room, with an expensive-looking rug, some decorations, and even some decorative bushes in the background. Senya, in turn, smiled at her remark.

"You are free to leave whenever you like", she said, and there was again the strange feeling of... familiarity with somebody else that Raven couldn't quite place. "But if you want the help of my allies, you'll stay."

"We have come this far. Let us see where it leads."

The young Sith Lord nearly jumped at Valkorion's voice directly behind her. Her first impulse was to turn and go right that very moment, and be it just to spite the ghostly world-eater. But she had a certain responsibility, and couldn't just walk away and alienate potential allies, even if she might want to. The stakes were, unfortunately, far too high for that.  
Raven remembered the chocolate. She could play nice for a little while longer, even if the whole scene was getting on her nerves.

"Very well", she commented, and Senya seemed to take it as an invitation.

"Before Arcann's betrayal, Zakuul was protected by two orders: the Knights, and Scions who see visions of the past and future", she explained. "Scions no longer serve Arcann. Whether they serve you will be determined now."

Force-sensitive vision-seeing cultists? Raven only hoped that these guys would be a bit more rational than some of the Voss mystics she'd met. But then she felt a presence, and heard a voice, and got the feeling that she wouldn't get her wish fulfilled.

"Fate is a tale whispered to us by the Force. But the voices are silent about you. We must know why."

 _Must_ know? Oh dear. But Raven again remembered the chocolate. And those guys were Senya's allies, weren't they? It was best to be diplomatic.  
Yeah, diplomacy. Even though she definitely wasn't a princess.

"Perhaps together we can reveal the future", she stated, and hoped that she'd hit the right tone.

Something like approval coloured the unseen speaker's answer.

"If we are to aid your rebellion, we must understand what role you play in Arcann's defeat. We will test you physically and spiritually to pierce the veil and see the truth."

Uh uh. Good thing that this didn't sound ominous. Why did everybody always want to fight her, no matter if here, in the old Empire, the Republic, or some random planet in the middle of nowhere? Seriously, was it her hair, her scars, or something in her smell, for the stars' sake?  
Memories of chocolate weren't enough to calm Raven down.

"It sounds like you're planning to attack", she commented. "That is a mistake."

The answer came promptly. "We do what must be done."

Fatalists? Fanatics? Both? Or just crazy guys? Raven wasn't sure, but didn't like it either way. Senya interrupted her thoughts, though.

"I tie my fate to yours", the knight stated. "I join you in these trials, come what may."

There was a thud, then another, and all around them, weirdly-costumed people dropped down from above. At least now the crazy guys, or Scions, had faces.

"The Heart of Scyva is heavy with loss", one of them all but chanted. "In her pain, we lash out."

Raven breathed deeply. If this whole trial continued down this path, the greatest challenge would lie in controlling her emotions, and stopping herself from shaking these guys out of sheer frustration. And to make things even better, her ghostly mind-stealing nemesis decided to make an appearance again.

"I do miss the old ways of Zakuul", he simply commented. "Such mythology, and pageantry."

"Please, defend yourself", a female Scion asked, in a tone that seemed to bypass Raven's brain and appealed to the darker parts of her subconsciousness to just grab her and toss some mud into her neatly rouged face. And when all Scions around them drew their lightsabers, and Raven noticed that their blades were uniformly pink, she really had to work hard to stop herself from screaming.

She should have drunk more of that herbal tea.

* * *

 _Asylum, Scion Enclave, 5 AEA_

"If there is another test, let's continue."

The fighting had done nothing to calm Raven's mood, and she half-wished that she was ruthless enough just to turn and go. But besides upsetting Senya, this would have accomplished nothing; she still needed allies, and those Scions might be useful. Or, at least, some of them. She wasn't so sure about this Heskal person, who seemed to lead them. Raven had always thought that she herself was crazy, but this guy made herself look like an amateur in this discipline. It was best to be cautious, she decided, and pulled at the Force bond that tied her to her sister. Raven wasn't calling for help, not now, but she let Lea know where she was, and that the situation was a little complicated. If this whole thing took to long, it was likely deteriorating, and in this case, the Jedi's help would be very welcome.

"Hunger. Overconfidence. You were more tolerant when you landed, despite the fools you suffered."

Yeah. Because they were only fools, and nice ones at that, not crazy maniacs. But Lord Kallig didn't speak these words out loud. Instead, she just shook her head, as something dawned on her.

"You were watching me."

Good thing that this wasn't creepy at all. Oh, wait...

"We're always watching. Arcann took away years of your life, but he stole far more from the rest of us. Do you feel anything for those who suffered while you slept?"

Heskal was slowly, but steadily finding ways to annoy Raven thoroughly. What was this? A whining contest? An insult party?  
Diplomacy. Diplomacy. Diplomacy.

"Why else would I be here?" Lord Kallig asked, and tried to appeal to reason. If there was indeed any in this room. "I want to end the suffering."

Heskal looked away from her, and glared at her ally. Literally. Raven had never seen such weird torch eyes before. Of course it was a Force trick, but the effect was a little unnerving.

"And you, Senya? What do you feel?"

The warrior looked down, pain on her face. Something inside Raven hurt at that sight, and the young inquisitor again had to remind herself that attacking Heskal to teach him some manners was probably a bad idea.

"Shame."

Something in Senya's answer struck Raven. Shame? She couldn't quite place the knight's expression. But she was missing something. Raven suddenly was sure of it. Why was Senya here at all, tying her fate to hers, as she had put it? Why shame?

"Because you failed to protect our Immortal Emperor?" Heskal asked. But the young Sith knew, just knew, that of all possible reasons, this was certainly not the point.  
Anger replaced whatever emotion Senya might have felt. "I was in no position to do that", she growled, and her voice sounded way more familiar, now that the strange vulnerability was gone again. But Heskal pressed on.

"What of the Scions who were slaughtered by your fellow Knights because Arcann demanded it? Do you feel responsible for them?"

"Enough!" Raven interrupted, but Senya answered, anyway.

"When I joined the Knights, they were shields protecting our home world", she countered, her fury clearly audible. "Now they are weapons wielded by an insane child."

There was something there, in her voice, in her whole posture. But Raven couldn't quite get to the bottom of all this. There was something else there, though, something worth asking.

"Senya, could we reason with the Knights? Bring them over to our side?"

It was worth a try, if there was even the slightest chance to accomplish it. But naturally, Heskal felt the need to interrupt. Raven disliked him more and more.

"The blood on their hands cannot be washed away with reason!" he nearly screamed, and sounded even more demented than before. Raven ignored him, but her hopes sank as she looked to Senya.

"The Knights should have rebelled against Arcann. Instead, we have lost our honour", the older woman answered. Raven took that as a 'no'.

And when more Scions appeared, all wielding pink lightsabers, and more of them babbled mystical references and allusions to fate, and when finally Vitiate's ghost himself gave more unwanted and unneeded comments and translations of the mystical allusions, Raven really wondered whether or not the whole trial was worth it.

One thing was very sure, though – when this was over, she really needed to buy more herbal tea.

* * *

 _Asylum, Scion Enclave, 5 AEA_

Another room. Also fancy, but without bushes or trees. And there was no rug this time. Fitting, Raven thought. She was pretty sure that there was more fighting ahead, and blood strains were sometimes hard to remove.  
A large holo image of Arcann stood in the centre of the room. The image did nothing to brighten Raven's mood, though she liked Vaylin even less. Arcann, in his own way, was still sort of rational, and after this crazy tour-de-fate-talk, anything remotely rational was welcome. Sort of.

"You seek to remove Arcann from the Eternal Throne. As well you should."

Raven was tempted to declare that no, she was about to propose marriage to Arcann, and rule a combined Empire together, but she wasn't sure if the Scions would recognize irony even if it beat them onto their combined heads. Plus, it might have upset Senya. But it was too late, anyway, since Heskal droned on.

"His destiny is to fall. We have foreseen that much. But his final fate remains unclear. When he is at your mercy, what will you do?"

Tame the dragon, of course. Reason with him. Use him to defend the borders of the light and the dark kingdom, while hoping that he wouldn't eat too much cattle per week. Still, Raven got the feeling that there was a better course of action than simply answering herself.

"I want Senya to answer first", she said, and waited curiously for the answer. It came swiftly.

"Arcann will not escape justice for the lives he's taken", the knight stated gravely. Did this mean that Senya would just slit Arcann's throat when she got the chance? Raven resolved to speak with the warrior in private, when she got the chance. Sure, she wanted to beat Arcann, but despite everything, she didn't seek his death. At least when she could avoid it.

"A thousand Scions lie dead because of him. Blood calls out for blood. Do you agree?"

The silence in the room got very heavy.

"Answer us!"

But Raven's patience was finally at an end. She felt Senya's unease, no, suffering, and she definitely didn't like Heskal's tone. And least of all, she liked Vitiate's ghostly voice, which had again started to whisper unwanted advice into her ears.

"They question her commitment to them..."

Lord Kallig ignored him, and drew her lightsaber, while pulling at the Force bond again. This time, it was really a request for help.

"I'm starting to second guess whether or not we need you", she said, and felt that unconsciously, she had changed her stance. Head lifted, back straightened, it was what her sister had once called 'Darth Imperius awakens'. Raven felt the familiar power of the Force flow through her and around her. She didn't believe in destiny, but in her lightsaber. And soon, the Scions who were foolish enough to oppose her would believe in it, too.

"You act as if you have a choice", Heskal hissed. "We know our part. It's yours that must be revealed."

Before Raven could act, he had again dropped from lofty heights. Only this time, he had succeeded in surprising Senya, and knocked her ally out.

"I will know your fate, even if I must tear you open to see it."

Cold fear reached Raven's heart, not for herself, but for her ally. Determined to protect Senya, she reached out with the Force, and unceremoniously threw most of the approaching Scions into the next wall. All of them were behaving like they needed a good, long, healthy nap, anyway. Only Heskal remained, raving, lunatic Heskal, about whom Raven could say just one definitely positive thing: His lightsaber was red, not pink. But that wouldn't save him from becoming a part of the floor's mosaic, if he insisted to fight her to the end.

Time froze. Again. Raven had given up on counting how often Vitiate had interrupted her by now.

"His argument with you is pointless and destructive. I can end this without any more bloodshed if you accept the gift of my power."

Uh oh. Had she really become so angry that the former Sith Emperor truly believed she could be caught by such a transpicuous move?

"You must be joking", Raven answered, and it wasn't even a taunt, just her honest opinion.

"Then stop wasting time", the ghostly voice countered, but its owner seemed slightly annoyed. Like most times, really, when she dismissed his suggestions or refused his power. "Reveal his fate."

The fight didn't take long. Raven had faced few opponents that were more crazy than the chief Scion, but quite a few that had been more powerful. Zash, Thanaton, the Dread Masters, a whole bunch of unnamed monstrosities, beasts or otherwise, and even a number of spirits, not to mention Revan himself. In comparison to most of those, Heskal was nothing. He soon lay on the ground, metres away from his lightsaber, and panting, so Raven used the chance to help Senya up, who had just awakened.

The knight, for once, was in a more cooperative mood than herself. Lord Kallig supposed that there was a first time for everything.

"Do not judge him harshly", Senya asked. "This trial was necessary for all of us. We need the Scions."

Something fell into place in Raven's head, and she made her decision. Or, more accurately, she finally acknowledged the decision she'd made what felt like hours before.

"We need friends", she stressed. "Not necessarily Scions."

The rest of the Scions understood her sentence for what it was, and drew their weapons.

"The blood of Tyth flows through you, Outlander. Please do not force us to spill it", one of them proclaimed.

Convenient. Now that she had the upper hand, the Scion's visions suddenly didn't demand that she was to be cut open to reveal her fate? Raven had always had a problem with people who believed in fate, and visions, and this was a typical symptom why.

"Stand. Down. Now."

"Or don't, and face the consequences, but I'll guarantee you that we'll have more fun than you in that case."

Lana. And Lea. And a whole bunch of Koth's crew, himself included. And HK. Raven breathed in relief at the sight of her trusty droid. She had wondered what had happened to him, after she had taken the route to crazy country. The remaining Scions drew their lightsabers, but Raven knew that they had no chance. Even better, she knew that they knew.

"You don't need the Force to see what happens next", she insisted, and made a final attempt at diplomacy. "Put down your weapons."

And, to her surprise, Heskal nodded, and on his signal, the Scions deactivated their blades.

"Every moment since you entered, even this one, was predestined. Everyone here played the role fate assigned them."

Raven was pretty sure that she heard her sister snort.

"I ask you a final question", Heskal continued. "What future do you see for the galaxy when Arcann and his Eternal Fleet are gone?"

An easy question? Raven wondered whether it was the sight of her allies that made Heskal more agreeable. She should have reached out to Lea sooner.

"One person shouldn't decide the fate of the galaxy", she stated with conviction, and thought of Vitiate the Mad. "When the time comes, we can work together."

"He will not live to do that", the former Emperor interrupted, as if on clue. Well, she probably should have expected that.

Heskal jerked. This couldn't be a good sign. And his torch eyes were active again.

"You have nothing further to reveal", the Scion hissed. "I now know what blinded us to the future. Our Immortal Emperor lives... inside your mind."

Great. And that five minutes after Koth and everybody else had entered. If Heskal had had this epiphany just a little sooner, she'd only have had to deal with Senya's reaction.

"It couldn't stay secret forever", Lana commented, and sounded way calmer than Raven felt. Whatever shock Koth might have felt was overridden with anger at this statement.

"You knew about this, and didn't tell me?" he asked, incredulous. Oh yes, Raven had been right in her assessment. Koth wasn't happy about being left in the dark.  
Diplomacy, diplomacy...

"We thought you'd panic if I said 'Hey, Emperor Valkorion's living inside my head'".

It wasn't the full truth, at least not in Koth's case, for Raven had also started to fear that the Zakuulan would start to obsess about Vitiate. But it was close enough.

"Analysis: Scan reveals no evidence you possess a secondary personality matrix, master. It is possible your brain is simply malfunctioning."

Raven really liked HK. After every talk with the former Emperor, and especially after this crazy round of trials, his distinctive kind of assessing a situation was like a bucket of water in the heat of a large desert. But Heskal continued like there had been no interruption at all.

"Our duel gave me a glimpse of what's to come. You will destroy the Eternal Throne... but many will suffer before that victory."

Visions. Fate. Raven clenched her fists.

"Let me guess", she drawled sarcastically. "Your visions didn't specify who suffers... or how long defeating Arcann will take."

This time, Lea's snort was more audible. But then Koth spoke, and his tone was light. Way too light for somebody who had just been angry.

"Doesn't matter. We win", he beamed. "If Emperor Valkorion lives because of this Outlander, there's hope for Zakuul."

Raven blinked and hoped that Heskal had succeeded in hitting her head during their duel. Surely she was hallucinating things?

"Your beloved Immortal Emperor is a threat to all life, everywhere. We must find a way to separate you from him", Lana retorted, and Raven jerked. Okay, Lana hadn't been hit by anybody, right? That meant that Koth had really just said that heap of nonsense?  
They were going to have larger problems than she'd thought. Raven would have much preferred him being angry.

"No one wants Valkorion out of my head more than I do", she answered, "but removing him won't be easy."

"We have a lot to discuss", Lana sighed, and Raven couldn't help but agree.

"Not here", she insisted, though. Lord Kallig had had enough of this place, of the Scions, and everything. She turned to Heskal again.

"I passed your test", she all but growled, and finally didn't keep the anger out of her voice any more. "Join us, or don't. Either way, we're done."

It felt extremely freeing to just say this. Raven turned, and started to go, but was stopped by Senya, who had said nothing during the last minutes.

"There is one truth left to reveal. I withheld the true reason I followed you through the trials", the knight said, and there it was again, the sense of foreboding. The feeling that there was something more, the impression that Raven had missed something of importance. The weird impression of resemblance... the grief she'd sensed, even when she had met the warrior for the first time...

 _Shame..._  
 _Wielded by an insane child..._

"To understand the Outlander who will destroy Arcann, and Vaylin..." Senya continued, and her face finally told Raven everything she needed to know.  
Literally.

"Your son and daughter", the young Sith whispered, shocked, just as the knight confirmed it, and she realized where she had seen features similar to the warrior's before. The dark side corruption had made it somewhat difficult to see, but Vaylin did show a noticeable family resemblance to her mother.

Somewhere inside her mind, Vitiate started to laugh, but Raven did what she had to do. Ignoring both the spectral visitor and the real people around her, she grasped Senya's hands. Gone were the anger and frustration she'd felt, her fury at the Scions was forgotten. There was only a strange kind of emptiness inside her, as she realized how much the proud warrior before her had lost, and what it all implied.

"I'm so sorry", she said, quietly, but deeply moved, and tried to convey without words that nevertheless, some form of hope remained, that death wasn't necessarily the answer, and that there could be other forms of atonement. She didn't know if her message reached Senya, but blue-grey eyes met hers, and there was some form of understanding in them. Raven felt the warrior squeeze her hands slightly, even as a hint of moisture started to fill her x-ray eyes.

* * *

Author's note: With KotET only days away, I do hope that the new content will contain more scenes with Theron than the first nine chapters of KotFE. Seriously.


	11. Into the Dune Sea

_Nar Shaddaa, Strell House, 6 BEA_

Blood.

Sticky, warm blood. The essence of life, albeit of an enemy, now staining her hands...

Raven put her hands back under the stream of cold water, together with a piece of soap, and started to rub her fingers in earnest. Her strenuous efforts were fruitless, however.

Naturally, for neither were her fingers covered in actual physical blood, nor had there been any when she had struck down Lord Paladius with her lightning. There had only been a slight smell of roasted meat, which made her stomach lurch each time she thought of it. Raven braced herself on the sink, as her knees tried to give in, and breathed deeply, hoping against hope that the smell of the soap would overpower any lingering olfactory memories. When her limbs indicated that they might cooperate again, the young Sith turned on the water once more. There was still more soap that she could use...

Rationally, the young woman knew that the reason for her near-breakdown was close to ridiculous. She had killed before, many times, and it wasn't that the former cult leader didn't deserve his fate. On the contrary, he had ordered his people to attack her, had tricked and poisoned her, had nearly cut her connection to the Force, had succeeded in severely injuring Khem and, to a lesser degree, herself during his last fight. And with his considerable strength and weird powers, it would have been an incalculable risk to just let him loose again on the Smuggler's Moon.

 _Zash promised the cult to Destris and Rylee. And Zash's word is mine._

More water. More soap. Slowly but steadily, Raven's hands started to burn. Perhaps she could find colder water somewhere around?

The crucial, or more accurately, cruel point, was simple: All the deaths she'd caused in the past, either beast or sentient, had occurred during fights, when she was struggling to stay alive herself, or to defend allies. If the pureblooded Sith Lord had been fatally struck by her lightning during their confrontation, she'd have shrugged and likely continued as normal. But Paladius had ceased to fight, dropped down to his knees, and pleaded for mercy, offering to lead the cult in her name. And she, neither believing him nor forgetting Zash's promise to her two new servants, had lifted her hands, conjured the energy of the Force, and executed him.

And now his blood clung to her fingers, even more resistant to her soap because it wasn't actually real. It seemed that no amount of water would clear her of this deed.

A cough behind her tore Raven from her unhealthy mix of self-loathing and self-pity. The young Sith stopped herself in time from drawing her lightsaber, and thanked the stars that it was only Rylee. The inquisitor wasn't naïve enough to take the young cultist's loyalty for granted, but the girl had nothing to gain from attacking her, given that Raven was all but on her way towards the next artefact hunt, and the control of the 'Great Healer' cult's day-to-day work had already been given to her and her colleague.

"My lord? Our water supplies are extensive, but aren't there better ways to spend them?"

With as much dignity as she could summon, Raven turned the water off, and turned to face the newcomer. Then, she reached out, and held her fingers right under the girl's nose.

"Do you see the blood?" the inquisitor asked, and stared into Rylee's brown eyes. The girl winced at the sudden intrusion into her personal space, but humoured her by wasting some seconds on a thorough visual assessment.

"I do see a multitude of small sore spots and chafing, likely from rubbing your hands under water for an extended time", Rylee observed correctly. "We do have some ointments and salves in our reserves, though, perhaps one of those might bring you some relief?"

Raven leaned against the wall and slowly slipped down to the floor, trying all the way not to put any new pressure on her injured hands. Then she chuckled, but it was a sound that didn't include the faintest trace of humour. Relief? Unlikely. Unless, of course, the ointment in question contained some of the more questionable contents one could find in the shadowy market streets of Nar Shaddaa.

When the Sith looked up, she saw clear worry in Rylee's whole posture. Somehow, Raven felt the need to explain herself.

"I just killed him, you know?" she asked, but didn't see any sign of understanding. "Just zapped him. One second of electricity flowing freely, and one life less on this blasted moon. Just like that, I killed him. But no, killing is what one does during a fight. He had already stopped and surrendered. So I didn't just kill him, I executed him."

Raven was startled out of her rambling by a careful touch at her wrists. Rylee had crouched, and reached out with her own hands; stopping the Sith as she was about to wring her hands again.

"You didn't just kill him, but you saved us", the girl stated, with a conviction that pierced the dark clouds in Raven's mind. "Or do you think Paladius would have just forgotten Destris' and my actions against him? By bringing him to justice, you freed not only us, but this whole cult, this whole moon, from his menace!"

Raven tried to chuckle again, but it was only a snort that came out. Justice... Was there even one single grain of justice in this whole galaxy? A galaxy so full of bloodshed and atrocities that even the Jedi turned their heads away from some of the worst deeds? She knew what Sith were capable of, but she also knew what simple, regular people could do to each other. Little domestic cruelties were all over the news reports, each and every day, on each and every planet. Which didn't excuse her own deeds, of course. It was just something more to lament on.

The dark side was within everybody, within every living being. Perhaps it was time to stop struggling and to accept this simple truth.

"But this isn't who you are, my lord."

Rylee's statement alerted Raven to the fact that she had, in fact, spoken at least her last thoughts out loud. The look in the girl's eyes was now one of purest troubles.

"Not who I am? But I _am_ Sith, Rylee. I thought I could follow a different path, hoped I would find another way. I really believed I could be different..."

"Well, that's the point. You are not."

Ouch. Despite her own claims just seconds ago, it still hurt to hear Rylee's calm assessment. But Raven knew that she had no right to protest. So she simply closed her eyes and hoped that the whole galaxy might just dissolve itself this very second.

Instead, small hands grasped her shoulders and shook her. Hard.

"Not what I meant, my lord. You _are_ a lord, but you are _no_ Sith."

Blinking, Raven tried to make sense of what she'd heard, and of her own thoughts. The shaking really wasn't helping, though. Thankfully, Rylee backed off, now that she had the inquisitor's attention again.

"You are no Sith", the more intelligent of the two newest cult leaders repeated. "No Sith would ever regret the death of an enemy. No Sith would have a troubled conscience because her hand was forced into killing an adversary. And do you really think that a true Sith would work day and night to heal people on the streets, instead of just destroying a rival cult? Would just forget Destris' arrogance, look over any and all breaches in protocol, would offer mercy to former followers of the enemy, would stop people from offering her gifts for personal gain, and instead told them to better their lives instead? And that's only what happened on this moon! I traced..."

Rylee nearly stopped herself, seemingly terrified by her boldness, but continued nonetheless.

"I traced your movements before you came to Nar Shaddaa, my lord. You are nothing like Paladius, nor any Sith I have ever known. You aren't cruel, you are... _kind_."

The young inquisitor looked up, into the earnest face of her servant, and wondered whether there was truth to her words.

"Killing Paladius wasn't exactly kind", she remarked, but without any bite.

"Depends on the perspective. From Destris's and my point of view, it was pretty kind", Rylee retorted. Then she sighed.

"You are beating yourself up because you discovered that you are not perfect. Well, nobody in this whole cult is, far from it, but you showed us a way to become better. Remember what you said during the rally? _Forgive those who hurt you_. And right now, my lord, you are definitely hurting yourself. Wouldn't it be time to forgive yourself for not being able to work a miracle this once?"

Raven stared at her hands and saw wounds and sore skin, but the crimson layer that had clouded her vision from before was missing, having secretly dropped away during the waterfall of words Rylee had uttered.

Rylee was wrong, that much Raven knew for sure. She couldn't just shrug, forgive and forget what had happened. But she'd been wrong herself as well. Being more or less forced to kill by unfortunate circumstances, like lack of a secure prison for example, wasn't the same as actively seeking kills, or enjoying executions. For the first victim, the results might be the same, but the likelihood of there ever being a second victim at all was strikingly different.

The young Sith breathed deeply.

"I'm no king, nor a saint, Rylee. And I _am_ Sith. But you are right, at least partly. I don't have to be a dark side pawn. Neither of us has to. Our choices are what matters, and if my previous choices were wrong, it's my main responsibility to learn from them, and to do better next time. Which likely means that I have to improve my contacts to the Imperial military for access to high-security prisons, or to secure some covert Republic contacts to dump troublesome Sith into the custody of the Jedi..."

That, actually, wouldn't be the worst idea, if it could be done. Jedi didn't kill when they could help it, and getting rid of beaten Imperial enemies while wasting the resources of the equally hostile Republic would actually be a pretty sweet deal.

Rylee excused herself soon after, and Raven used the chance to check on Khem Val. The Shadow Killer was doing better already, thanks to some medical assistance of some cult members who actually knew a thing or two about healing. The young inquisitor even saw the remnants of a huge Jurgoran steak, and wondered where her followers had procured it. Probably it was true what people said about the Smuggler's Moon: You could get anything here, even those things you never knew you wanted.

* * *

Finally it was time to say goodbye for now. Raven had left quite a sum of money as savings for a rainy day with the cult, and detailed instructions on what to do, and what not to do, in her absence. Plus, she had slipped Rylee a small datapad with some emergency contacts, including some of the officers she'd first helped and subsequently befriended on the Imperial outposts on the moon, and her own private holo frequency.

"Moira?"

The eerie whisper startled the young Sith. Hectically she looked around, hoping that some cult member had just called out to another, but something seemed to be wrong with the lights – a sudden golden gleam all but blinded Raven, and made her shut her eyes. When the Sith opened them again, the world was back to normal, or as normal as it could be in Hutt space, and nobody but Khem was in sight. And whoever it was who had spoken, if it had been indeed more than a figment of her overreached imagination, it was most certainly not her morose monster.

* * *

 _Korriban, Lord Khreusis's Stronghold, 6 BEA_

With Nar Shaddaa and the end of Lord Paladius still fresh in her mind, Raven was very keen on not repeating that particular episode when the spirit of Lord Kallig, her distant ancestor, told her to retrieve his old mask as a protection against her own master, Darth Zash. She still wasn't sure what to make of his claims that Zash was plotting against her, but the young Sith was confident that reclaiming the mask wouldn't hurt her general chances of survival. She was fighting both rogue Sith and Jedi on a regular basis, so any kind of protection from the Force was very welcome.

Still, it was obvious that Lord Khreusis, the current owner of Kallig's mask, wouldn't part with the priceless relic just because she asked him nicely. Raven contemplated telling him the truth, that she'd like to bargain for the mask because it was hers by inheritance, but soon dismissed that thought. Khreusis was a Sith Lord, and likely to laugh in her face if she approached him on that route.

Instead, she chose to try the Sith-y way: Pretending to seek a relic that could help her in the sure-to-come fight against her master, she ventured boldly into his stronghold. Careful to boast about her victory against Darth Skotia, and to show Khem Val as proof of her power, she provoked Khreusis into challenging her to show her strength. Raven just smiled and knocked out the lord's two apprentices through the Force without any real effort, winning her both the relic and the support of the Sith whose stronghold she'd invaded.

Through power, victory.

And through victory, a nice new mask. The only downside, really, was that the young Sith just wasn't used to wearing a full helmet in combat. Sure, protection was always a good idea, but when she actually saw a strike coming and didn't have her vision impeded by a chunk of metal, she could usually evade it instead.

* * *

 _Korriban, Sith Academy, 6 BEA_

Despite having finished her business on the unyielding, harsh red planet, Raven routinely checked the bounty board at the landing pad. Easy money with a relatively controllable level of risk was always appreciated, though, and so she put her name forward on a bounty that concerned a Lord Sundar. This charming fellow had apparently gone mad, run into the Tomb of Tulak Hord, and played Pazaak with his small army of followers and droids ever since. Or butchered any and all trespassers within ten miles around his chosen sanctuary; unfortunately, the reports weren't very clear on that end.

Given the sheer amount of money promised by the Ministry of Logistics for taking him down, Raven was quite sure that the rumours of the Pazaak party were just that – rumours. Pity. She could have done with a little rest and relaxation.

Instead, the young Sith logged herself into the data archives and checked how others had fared while trying to claim the bounty. There were no security cameras that deeply inside the tombs, but some bounty hunters and Sith had worn armour cams. And there were still some general statistics she could look into, like the number of people who had tried their luck on this job.

What she saw in the records made Raven frown for a second. No Pazaak, and no party, unless you redefined 'massacre' as 'celebration'. A whole legion of bounty hunters had tried their luck, one by one, but had been overwhelmed by Sundar's Force power. Quite a few Sith had challenged the rogue lord as well, and not all of them inexperienced acolytes, but those who managed to reach Sundar and could hold their own against his personal power had soon found themselves surrounded by his servants and his army of droids. And with enough time on their mechanical hands, those relentless machines could find a hole in every Sith's defences.

The inquisitor showed the data to Khem and asked for his opinion, but he, in turn, just asked her if he could eat the Sith Lord and his non-droid forces. Raven took that as a sign of general willingness to participate in an attack on the tomb stronghold. Since she was in the Sith Academy already, the young inquisitor took the liberty of visiting the suppliers from her own Sphere. As Zash was her master, she was able to acquire a whole assortment of ion charges and tracer missiles at a substantial discount, not to mention some updated security algorithms free of charge from one of the leading technicians of the Sphere of Production and Logistics. After checking and re-checking her saber and her robes, Raven cloaked herself with the Force and ventured again into the well-known tomb. She managed to sidestep all beasts and insane guards on the way between her and her intended target, and busied herself climbing around and above the buried fane, while dropping a generous load of technical surprises around Lord Sundar's new home of madness. When she was ready, she sneaked as close to his sanctum as she could, and activated the detonators on the other side of the structure remotely. The rest was child's play. With the majority of the guards distracted or gone, Raven easily succeeded in hacking the droids closest to the mad lord, and the remaining ones were easy prey for her ion charges. And when Sundar, crazed with fury in addition to his madness, finally found and confronted her in open combat, his formerly loyal droids fired on him, not her. Khem Val's blade swiftly finished the encounter.

Raven took the fallen lord's ring as proof, despite having recorded the whole fight, and shrouded herself in darkness once more. Many assassins had successfully eliminated a target, only to be caught off guard on their way back; the young inquisitor didn't wish to share their fate. She had to wait for Khem while he fed on the released Force power, since she had promised it, but after that, she evaded all remaining Sundar loyalists, who were running through the tomb without aim or purpose, and finally reached the academy again in time with the last of Horuset's beams for this day. Not that it mattered, really; the tombs were mostly gloomy and filled with eldritch Force lights during both day and night.

Raven smiled in relief when she entered the rooms of the Sphere of Logistics, which the bounty board had directed her to. With the money she'd left for the cult on Nar Shaddaa, her budget was a little strained, and she had seen some lightweight robes that had caught her interest during a short stop on Dromund Kaas. Since her master had called and hinted that Raven might have to visit Tatooine in the near future, a heat-fit addition to her wardrobe wouldn't be entirely unwelcome.

The relief was short-lived, however. For a moment, the young inquisitor wondered whether the antechamber to the main hall of the Sphere of Logistics, of all places, had encountered problems with their climate control. But as she shivered and tried to wrap her thin cloak more securely around her limbs, her common sense caught up and notified her that it was the cold of the dark side that she sensed. Given that Korriban was a hub of dark side energy even on the best of days, that noticeable increase in her personal discomfort was really saying something. Even Khem seemed to be slightly on edge, and that was a first, as far as she remembered.

Who would have thought that the worst part of an infamous little bounty hunt would be claiming the spoils afterwards?

Raven seriously pondered leaving and returning later, but it was too late – a servant had already seen her and beckoned her over. The inquisitor complied and sat down on a bench, while noticing voices coming from the room ahead.

"… becoming ridiculous, Vowrawn. You know as well as I do that we have no forces to spare."

Raven found herself hiding under the bench, and wondered for a moment how she'd got there. It wasn't that the speaker was shouting or anything; the young Sith got the impression that he rarely had to. It was just the kind of voice that you didn't _want_ to get criticized by, because it contained implications of all the possible repercussions which would follow any form of disobedience.

Embarrassment wrestled with fear, and claimed a partial success. From her hiding spot, Raven looked for the ministry officer who'd welcomed her, but couldn't see him at first. Only when she searched with the Force did she find him, hidden in a cabinet and shaking like a leaf.

"Oh, I don't know", another voice answered, lighter in both timbre and tone, and unaffected by the panic that had all but cleared the whole antechamber by now. "Most of the ones trying their power on that particularly charming fellow are mercenaries, anyway, or worthless failures who'd die within the week."

"In other words: You don't see a chance for their success, either."

The composed, yet menacing voice had dropped to something that was close to a growl, and Raven, who had just tried to extract herself from her hiding spot, changed her opinion.

"No, I wouldn't go this far. There is always a chance, right?"

"If you mean a chance that even more of our regular troops will fall to this maniac, then yes. And I won't tolerate this. Call for an air strike, if you wish to take care of this problem yourself. Otherwise, I'll resolve the situation personally."

The young inquisitor found herself firmly pressed deeper into her little refuge by her fellow Dashade, who had also squeezed himself under the very same piece of furniture. It cracked ominously.

"Ah, I don't believe this will be necessary. There is one hopeful young Sith out there at the moment, who might just succeed in the endeavour; perhaps she already has. Didn't you say you felt a disturbance in the Force a short while ago? And even if that wasn't the demise of our friend Lord Sundar, give the next generation a chance at glory!"

The second speaker was still sounding pretty cheerful. The first one, predictably, didn't seem to be amused.

"Glory was never the point. Your council is appreciated, but your argument is not convincing."

Crack.

Raven had just the time for a mental 'uh-oh', before the piece of furniture exploded under the strain. Without the means to stop herself, she found herself rolling into the centre of the antechamber again, completely entangled with her Shadow Killer bodyguard. These highly uncomfortable sensations were accompanied by a billion splitters, which seemed intent on scratching her entire face, and the equally unwelcome sound of igniting lightsabers and the dual sound of fast, albeit heavy steps.

The young assassin blinked and wished she was somewhere else. Anywhere else, really, and this list included exploding volcanoes, a Republic training ground, the Jedi Council's meeting chamber, and deep space without the luxury of a spacecraft. Instead, she was pinned to the ground by a frozen Dashade, and looked up towards two figures, who stared down at her in turn, their red lightsabers shining through the semi-darkness of the room.

Well, and the wood dust didn't help the general visibility, either.

Still, Raven saw enough, and wasn't able to suppress a groan. Even if she hadn't heard his name during the conversation already, she would have recognized Darth Vowrawn, head of the very Sphere she was visiting. She had encountered him personally once, back on Ziost, and also seen him on a couple of holo news. And next to him, heavily armoured, his trademark red and black colour scheme half obscured by the dust, but his silhouette and aura unmistakable, was Darth Marr, head of the Sphere of Imperial Defence. He had already deactivated his saber and stood there, unmoving, arms folded, but that was only little consolation.

Raven tried to manage something that was at least remotely resembling a bow, but didn't succeed. Khem, or the shock, was still more or less immobilizing her.

"Dark Lords", she murmured in greeting, and didn't recognize her own voice at all. Marr didn't show any reaction, but Vowrawn deactivated his saber as well, moved his hand once to clear the air with the Force – and started laughing.

"Raven Kallig, isn't it? I was just talking about you. It seems we three always meet during interesting times, don't you think? Now, would you mind telling me what happened here?"

Best to get it over with, no matter the consequences. Raven clenched her teeth and tried to speak nevertheless at the same time.

"Killed the rogue Lord. Got the ring. Came here. Heard you talking. Panicked. Hid under the bench. Made the bench explode, either by sheer pressure, or by reflexive Force emissions. Rolled over the ground. Wish I hadn't come. That's all."

Vowrawn finally got a hold on himself, though he was still grinning when he nudged the armoured figure next to him. Some little voice in Raven's brain that wasn't yet petrified commented that he was likely one of very few people who had the gall to do so, and the power and rank to survive it.

"Would you excuse us, my dear friend? The troublesome rogue is dealt with, so there'll be no need for any further action on your part. Since this here is Korriban's entrance hall of the Sphere of Logistics, this is about a bounty by the Sphere of Logistics, the young fellow here is a guest of the Sphere of Logistics, and I happen to be the head of the Sphere of Logistics, I dare say I can deal with the rest by myself."

The Dark Councillor in question ignored the irony and left without another comment. Raven felt the oppressive cold of the dark side lessen, but still didn't dare to move a single finger. Vowrawn, however, clapped his hands once.

"Oh, come on, one Dark Lord is gone, and I won't eat you. Promise. Stars, that was a sight to behold..."

While the remaining Dark Lord started to chuckle again, Raven took his words as an invitation and slowly rose to her feet, Khem Val in tow. She was about to bow or kneel down again, when Vowrawn shook his head and winked, calling her attention towards a slightly moving cupboard. He elegantly moved around the desk, whistled, and opened the door with a little bow on his own, while his servant fell onto the ground before the pureblooded Sith Lord.

"Hello, sergeant. Enjoying your tea break? If you are finished, please pay out our new friend here. See the ring in her hand? It's about the bounty on Lord Sundar. Oh, I'll keep one hundred credits for the destruction of that piece of furniture, but add two hundred credits for the laugh, alright? And four hundred extra for reclaiming that ring, just because it's fashionable. Sergeant, do you copy? Good."

Moving again towards Raven, Vowrawn leaned forward and started to stage-whisper.

"And don't worry about the other Darth. I think Marr was just looking forward to get some real exercise for a change while on Korriban. He doesn't eat apprentices, either. Well, at least I hope so."

A small smile started to play on Raven's lips as well. She was clearly aware that there was a keen mind under the pleasant demeanour, though, and that all of Vowrawn's actions and words were likely carefully calculated for effect. That made her think again, and that, in turn, forced her to re-evaluate some older memories.

"Darth Marr himself was the one who knocked me out of the uncontrollable Force Storm mayhem disaster, back on Ziost?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question. The mental pictures were blurred, but the cold... yes. She did remember the unnatural cold, and the outline of an armoured figure.

Vowrawn smiled again, and there was some kind of glint in his red eyes.

"Interesting times", he repeated. "Well, he was never one to waste resources."

* * *

 _Tatooine, Mos Ila, 6 BEA_

The first thing that Raven noticed when disembarking from her ship was the heat. The concept didn't come as a surprise, of course, for she had already known that Tatooine was a desert planet. But knowing something in theory and experiencing it were two different breeds of tauntauns.

Thankfully, some rooms of the spaceport were indeed equipped with air conditioning. Unfortunately, those were way too cold, but by strategically switching rooms every ten minutes or so, one could prevent freezing as well as overheating.

Good thing, really, at least from this point of view, that she was traversing all available rooms anyway while on her search for Andronikos Revel. Neither the guy at the spaceport nor the bartender had been any help, so Raven was now hiding herself with the Force again, violating the privacy of more people than she'd ever wanted, and hoping to find the pirate before she encountered something that she couldn't unsee.

* * *

"There is no need to blast anyone's teeth through anyone's skull."

Raven wasn't pleading, at least not for the life of the beaten pirate before them. She wasn't actively using the Force to get her will, either. Instead, she was hoping to call on the small part of rationality and calm left inside Andronikos' head, deeply hidden under an ocean of hatred and vengeance. Killing a beaten enemy was wrong, that much she knew by now. Even if it was a murderer and thief like Sylas Wilkes. She didn't want her new ally to regret it, afterwards – and she most definitely didn't want to see him go down that far on the dark road that he wouldn't even feel remorse.

"I came for my revenge", the former pirate captain retorted, "I'm going to have it. And it'll be bloody."

But he didn't shoot. Yet. And the young inquisitor felt his resolve lessen.

"He's not worth it."

Not the pain of regret, nor the vision of crimson on pale fingers. Andronikos didn't lower his blaster, though.

"I haven't been chasing this son of a Hutt halfway across the galaxy to back down now."

Raven smiled, but it was a sad smile. She could see it now, inside her head – the proud Andronikos Revel, consumed by vengeance, hunting through one miserable town and spaceport after the other, always trying to find a new lead on his prey...

"Was it really worth it?" she asked, and allowed the worry she was feeling to slip into her voice, wanting to make the pirate see and understand that the dark side seemed to offer much, but cost even more.

And slowly, finally, Andronikos lowered his weapon. It wasn't like he was suddenly applying for the position of a Jedi Padawan, Raven thought, but it was a start.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. You've just learned that the artefact you are hunting is gone, and likely hidden deep down in the desert. And instead of stalking your prey, you simply turn tail, go to the next town and put your feet up?"

Raven frowned, put her finger between the sides of the old book that she was reading, and looked towards the pirate. Andronikos was pacing, and his mood didn't seem to be the best.

"I'm doing some research", she clarified, and earned a deeper frown in return.

"Research? What kind of a Sith are you?"

"A living one", the young inquisitor retorted. "While hunting Wilkes, we always stayed close to the Imperial outposts, and we had our speeder bikes with us. With the terrain consisting of hard rock, mostly, that was all fine and good. But if we are going to traverse the deep desert, and a sandy one at that, then we need more preparation than just filling a small bottle with water. Or do you think the average speeder works well when you haul it through dunes for three days in a row? And if you do, would you stake your life on it?"

Andronikos scratched his head.

"Alright", he admitted, "a bit of thought won't hurt. But surely the Empire has some survival guides in digital form? Why, by Nar Shaddaa's dirtiest sewers, would you need to consult a tattered volume that looks older than the whole selection of settlements on this rock, huh?"

Raven shrugged. "Because the Imperial survival guides don't contain much usable data on the Sand People, aside from battle tactics and close-quarter combat strategies. I'm more interested in their culture, how they prepare for journeys, things like that."

The pirate was looking at her as if she'd lost her mind, or as if she had suddenly started to howl in the language of the Tusken.

"Sometimes I just can't figure if you are joking, Sith."

"No jokes." Raven smiled, closed the book, and carefully placed it on the shelf of the little library. "But if we are going to steal some banthas from the Sand People, and that's what I intend to do, I want to know what to expect and how to handle them beforehand. At least the theory."

* * *

Getting their hands on a small herd of desert cows had been way easier than Raven would have expected. Attacks by the Sand People on Imperial outposts were quite common, and one occurred right while she was making her preparations for their desert journey. So the young inquisitor took the prepared supplies with her, hid both herself and Andronikos with the Force, and followed their faint tracks towards the small base camp of the attackers. The few Sand People that had been left as guardians noticed them, but between her lightning and the pirate's blasters, the savages had no chance. Khem Val had been left in Mos Ila to guard the Fury-class interceptor. The last thing that the young Sith wanted was finding herself stranded on this ball of sand because somebody had stolen her starship.

Raven looked around. Spare sets of clothing, desert-proven – check. Huge amounts of flasks and bottles, and even a small fresh water spring to fill them – check. Enough fodder for the banthas to last for at least a week – check. Medpacs and military rations were already among the supplies they'd brought themselves; the assassin wasn't so keen on sampling the Tusken food.

Andronikos looked quite thoughtful when he came back from a training round with two of the banthas. The docile beasts hadn't given him any trouble at all, and followed his commands without hesitation. And that despite the fact that their accents were likely terrible – neither of them could really copy a true Tusken howl.

"You know, Sith, this might actually work. I've got a good feeling about this. Just a good feeling, that's all."

* * *

 _Tatooine, The Dune Sea, 6 BEA_

Raven yawned and stretched comfortably. Their little caravan had spent the day in the shadowy shelter of a mountain range, the banthas being very adept at finding both protection and water within the desert, no matter where the notes of Andronikos' former crew were leading them. Here, the blazing heat had diminished to tolerable levels, and the young Sith had used the time to get some sleep. She'd brought a whole net of sensors with her, so Andronikos had gotten some rest, too, without endangering their safety. Recharging their batteries wasn't an issue, either – one hour of the intense Tatooine suns shining around noon, and their small sun collector had enough power to charge a medium battle cruiser.

The young Sith helped herself to breakfast, or dinner. The ration bars weren't very tasty, but as non-perishable meals went, they weren't so bad. Besides, Raven had more or less been raised on these things. Her stomach was used to disappointments by now.

She left her small tent, and sat down on a stone that still contained the warmth of the day. The twin sunset was magnificent – the whole horizon before her seemed to be burning with colour, and the infinite waves of sand before her reflected the intense fire. In moments like these, Raven really wished that she had brought a brush and an easel.

A warm wind gust played around her cheek, and the young Sith looked up in alarm. Somehow she just knew that this wasn't simply a quirk of the weather. And then she saw what she'd half expected, half feared: The whole desert before her shimmered in golden light, and the wind caught itself in the mountains behind her, whispering, forming a word.

"Moira..."

Enough games. The assassin finally had enough.

"My name is Raven Kallig", she growled, and tried to stare down an ocean of sand. Predictably, the desert before her didn't seem to be particularly impressed.

"If you want something, then come, or call, but this ghost routine is getting old fast."

The golden gleam faded, replaced by the splendid sunset from before, but Raven suddenly wasn't in the mood to enjoy it. She turned, and woke Andronikos, asking him to hurry with his meal while she prepared for their departure.

"Somebody is searching for me through the Force", she explained, tersely. "I don't know who, and I don't know why, but I want to finish this hunt as soon as possible to get back to my data banks and algorithms. If this person has also used more traditional means of tracking me, I might find some traces that I can use."

* * *

"Damned idiotic nerf-herding sons of Hutts! They got away!"

Raven tried to make her stomach stop revolting, as she stopped herself from checking the Tusken camp's food supplies in more detail. A human leg was still quite easy to recognize, even without its skin.

"They were killed, and possibly eaten", she commented, careful not to open her mouth too wide – the stench was terrible. "There is a difference."

Andronikos Revel just shook his head, shot the corpses of the Sand People again for good measure, and picked up the Sith relic, presenting it to her with a little bow for show.

"That's the pebble you were after? Somehow looks smaller than before. Well, let's get off this rock, okay?"

Wait, what?

"You want to come with me?" Raven asked, surprised. She could definitely use more company on the Fury, especially when this company came with better table manners than Khem, but the young inquisitor hadn't been so sure if this was in Andronikos' interest. He had allowed Wilkes to live, without being forced to do so, but Raven had felt his anger before he'd made up his mind.

The pirate shrugged.

"Sure. Can't really figure you out, Sith, and not really sure if you were always this squeaky-clean, or if you are making up for something, but it's sure as a blast quite interesting around you. Never thought I'd get to ride a giant hairy space cow through an overheated death trap, and have fun doing so."

"Heh." Raven couldn't help but smile. "Hopefully you didn't get too used to it, though – I want to free the banthas before departing. Think they can take care of themselves. Other than that, the only noteworthy animal-related story when it comes to me and my mission was back on Balmorra, when I tried to become a Colicoid..."

* * *

 _Alderaan, House Alde Libraries, 6 BEA_

Lord Zash was still busy with some mystical errand or another, and hadn't found time for her Alderaanian briefing. With some time to spare on her hands, Raven did her best to enjoy herself – with the help of Andronikos, she forged herself a nice cover-identity, ventured to House Alde's Great Library, and read and read until her eyes blurred.

When the young Sith reappeared from the worlds preserved between ancient parchment, it was already evening. A thin layer of ice coated the small mirror pond next to the library, and the wind blowing from the mountains was fresh, and strong. Winter was about to turn to spring, but the cold season hadn't loosened its grasp yet. As Raven turned to leave, a peculiar procession caught her eye. Slowly, solemnly, a long line of people marched through the fading light of the evening. The young inquisitor recognized their uniforms – some of them belonged to House Alde, but the majority wore the colours of House Organa. There were even quite a number of Jedi among the group, and that made Raven hide deeper in the shadows. Nobody paid her any attention, though.

When the courtyard was empty again, the young Sith made her way to the statue the group had congregated around. It was a general memorial stone, as she had already suspected, dedicated to those sons and daughters of the Noble House who had served and died in service to the diplomatic corps, and one engraving was fresh. So were the flowers, whole heaps of them, still colourful even in the waning light of the day. Raven checked the name and was surprised for a moment; she'd have expected to see the name 'Alde', not 'Organa'. But since these two houses were close allies, and had intermarried quite often during their shared history, this was nothing really noteworthy. The Sith was astonished, though, that she actually knew the name. The late princess of House Organa had been working with, or more accurately against, Imperial diplomats during the negotiations for the Treaty of Coruscant, and from what Raven had read, she had been one of the main reasons that the treaty hadn't become even more beneficial to the Empire.

The assassin allowed herself a small moment of contemplation, and shrugged. It wasn't exactly forbidden to honour a worthy enemy, and nobody would learn a thing about it, anyway. So she went back to the pond, grasped a hand full of ice, and used the Force to shape it into a single, translucent Alderaanian rose. Placing the small and fleeting tribute among the other flowers, Raven thought for one moment that she saw a golden gleam again. But, for once, no strange whispers followed, and the Sith sensed no danger around her, just the peace and quiet of the evening that was about to turn into a starlit night.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you, as always, to all who read, followed, favoured, or reviewed. Happy New Year 2017!


	12. Kaon under Siege

_Dromund Kaas, Imperial Citadel, 30 BEA_

"Apologies, but my apprentice is unavailable."

Victoria stopped hugging both her lightsaber and a number of thermal detonators for a moment, and lifted her gaze towards Darth Serpentis. Her master was speaking through her holocom, but had deactivated the main screen; the assassin didn't need a 3-D picture to guess who the old inquisitor was talking to, though. Serpentis' eyes were hard as durasteel, face set in unyielding lines, and she didn't seem apologetic in the slightest.

There was a short pause, and Victoria could almost imagine the disapproving tone of the Darth at the other end of the line. But, thankfully, she couldn't hear his words.

"She's on a vital mission for me", Serpentis lied through her teeth without so much as flinching. The following pause was significantly shorter, but not as short as her master's retort.

"Recuperation", the old Darth growled, not bothered at all that her bluff had been called. "You of all people should know that I need Lord Kell, _intact_ , both mind and body. She went through quite an ordeal on that transport ship, and your handling of that idiot moff afterwards. Did. Not. Help."

She punctuated each of her last words with a poke of her wrinkled finger. A completely futile gesture, since Darth Fortis couldn't see it, but Victoria appreciated the effort nonetheless.

"Emperor's eerie ears, Fortis, have you even been in the same damned room as a mirror in the last ten years or so? Especially when you are not in a peaceful, relaxed mood, which I'm _sure_ is a very _rare_ occasion, but, I don't know, _could have happened yesterday by chance_?"

The irony was dripping from her words to such an extend that Victoria made a mental note to be careful while walking on the floor – the danger of slipping seemed pretty high all of a sudden.

"I don't care whether my apprentice has an infectious personality or sense of humour."

Serpentis started to massage her forehead.

"Yes, I do remember asking for some cooperative missions, until circumstances change. Well, they have changed."

Lowering her hand again, the old Darth suddenly twitched.

"I would be very careful while on that trail of thoughts", she warned, and her voice became very calm and very pleasant. It was an unsettling effect. "I don't like it when others insult my people, and if you indeed were about to question Kell's resilience, you should better think again."

She clasped her hands.

"Well, what about your own apprentice? I know you have taken one. No, I wouldn't want to have to trust that firebrand of a hothead at my back during a close fight, either. But that's not my problem, isn't it?"

The next pause in the conversation was again a bit longer, and made the old Darth clench her fist.

"I'll stuff that 'For the Empire' down your throat if you dare to repeat it. Right now, I'm interested in the welfare of my Sphere. To sum it up: No, I definitely won't send her."

Serpentis hesitated for a moment, and looked towards the younger Sith.

"And no, I don't want to ask her, either..."

Victoria shook her head so violently that she nearly lost hold of her saber.

"It's a moot point, because the answer is 'no'."

The old Sith frowned again.

"Isn't this a job concerning the defence of the Empire, anyway? If you don't want to take your own apprentice, for a change, then I'm sure you'll find at least one or two promising candidates within the higher ranks of the Sphere of Imperial Defence."

Moving as if to end the call, the old Darth stopped herself at the last moment, looking thoughtful.

"Or, you know, you could postpone the mission. A session of meditation here, some medical salve there, and then go on a little holiday yourself. It might do wonders for your complexion."

" _Enough_."

This time, Fortis' answer made it through the holocom with such vehemence that even Victoria could hear it. Thankfully, it was also the last word spoken during the present conversation, the young assassin thought, and finally dared to move.

If only to pick up her lightsaber and her collection of bombs from the floor, which had somehow landed there during the last seconds.

* * *

 _Border Region between Imperial and Republic Space, Random Planet, 29 BEA_

Victoria closed her eyes for a second and panted. Oxygen was such a wonderful molecule, she really should consume it more often... But the Republic troops who pursued her didn't waste any time to appreciate the scenery around them, so she didn't get a long time for rest and relaxation, either. The young Sith couldn't blame them – the deserted mountain flanks really didn't offer much in terms of natural beauty, only craters and space debris. And the blasted wild water cataract at the sideline didn't help in the slightest, either.

There were two primary objectives for her mission. One: Kill General Vien. Two: Stay alive. And thanks to that little Sarlacc spawn of a Sith who had supposed to be her ally, both objectives were now completely in jeopardy. To think that she had even considered taking the girl as her own apprentice, of all people... At least Victoria was pretty sure that it wasn't Darth Serpentis who wanted her dead. She had had her own pick of a group of hopefuls when it came to support for this mission, while the leader of her Sphere was somewhere closer to the Core, leading another assault against the Republic. And she still remembered her master's comments about having plans for her, and needing her intact. While worrying in itself, those remarks solidified Victoria's belief that whatever her master had in store for her, it wasn't a classy execution-by-apprentice move on some random world or another.

Funny thing was, she still liked the old Sith Lord. Perhaps not even despite, but because of her strange plottings.

A blaster bolt missed her by inches, and Victoria took it as a sign that she ought to climb faster – or create a distraction. She stretched one of her hands and shot a stream of lightning into the rock below her; the resulting rock slide forced the soldiers behind her to climb a little more carefully in the complex, cluttered terrain. Next time, she'd take her trusty droids with her again, chances be damned. At least if there was indeed a 'next time'. And what good were increased fighting chances due to another Sith with a lightsaber, when this blasted lightsaber was suddenly directed at herself?

Using the gained moments to pant again, the young Sith answered her holocom without really thinking about it.

"Oh, still alive? How disappointing."

Victoria stared directly into the neatly rouged dolly-bird face of the very annoyance who was responsible for her current predicament. She had to give it to the younger woman – the trap had been clever. It was her own fault, though, to have underestimated the budding assassin. And it hadn't been because the little snake wore pink. Not solely, at least.

"Perhaps I should thank you, though. I was always wondering which name to choose when Darth Serpentis finally promotes me. And now I know. 'Invicta' has a certain ring to it, doesn't it? Some victories may be nice, but it's still better not to get beaten. Or what do you think, Victoria?"

Hatred rose, filled every fibre of Victoria's self. But this trap... this trap she recognized. The girl knew how much she despised her given name, and played on her weakness, trying to distract her, to hasten her demise.

"You shall all burn!" the assassin howled, but it was mostly for show. She activated her last thermal detonator, set to a five second countdown, and spent three of those seconds throwing up a Force barrier and sprinting towards her Republic hunters. Mock last stand, here we come. The forth second was used to check her trajectory of choice, and, timed with the fifth and last second, Victoria initiated a phase walk. She left her lightsaber and holocom behind, hoping for her rival to see some nice fireworks, and fell over the cliff and into the water, just as the bomb exploded.

* * *

In hindsight, Victoria had no idea how she had managed to survive the waterfall. She'd drawn her rage and hatred around her like an armour, bolstering her Force barrier as much as she could – a trick she'd recently learned from her master. The same was true for the whole phase walking business, a skill little lying Leave-in-the-Lurch-Lady didn't know she possessed. When she finally succeeded in hauling herself into the protective shadows of some large boulders, the young assassin couldn't really decide if her head hurt more from nearly reaching her Force limits, or her body from the numerous rocky hits she'd taken.

And the fact that she'd half-drowned didn't help her general well-being, either.

She was wet, cold, unarmed aside from her Force powers, bruised beyond recognition, and royally upset. But she was alive, and with a little bit of luck, all of her adversaries believed her to be dead. For that deception, she had even been willing to sacrifice her weapon of choice.

Victoria tried her best to calm her emotions, as she didn't want to alert any Jedi in the vicinity to her presence. Luckily, there were only few guardians of the light on this planet at all, and while Apprentice Thinks-Herself-Unconquered might have been able to sense her, the young Sith Lord was counting on her arrogance and self-assurance. It could be pretty hard to spot an enemy when you were not looking at all, but running around with your eyes closed – she knew that by experience now.

One Republic patrol, a mind trick, a swap of uniforms and liberation of techno-gadgets later, Victoria was sitting on a Republic speeder and driving towards the general's camp at full speed. She didn't have any time to lose.

Passing the camp's perimeter without issue, the Sith directly walked towards the next security patrol. It was funny, really – sneaking into this camp might have become difficult, with all the people around, but openly entering in a stolen uniform didn't even cause one raised eyebrow. Identity scanners were obviously a myth in the ugly depths of a war zone.

"Scan for high-concentrated energy signatures in this frequency range around the general's tent", she ordered with her best fake Republic accent, "SIS intel, lightsaber check. The Sith assassin who perished back there on that mountain likely wasn't alone."

The next minutes were pure mayhem. Victoria joined the Republic troops in hunting her would-be apprentice through the outpost, and used the confusion to pick up some small trinkets on the way. Examples included a security valve connected to some fuel tanks, a generator control panel part, and some electrodes from an electrical hyper-condensator. When the younger Sith finally fell, thanks to a well-placed shot by the general, of all people, Lord Kell allowed herself a grin.

And she smirked wickedly when she'd half sneaked, half limped out of the camp again, and watched her stolen and reprogrammed speeder bike crash into one of the gas tanks. Due to the peculiar failure of a number of security measures, and a strange and unfortunate chain reaction, the whole outpost exploded into a sea of flames within minutes.

Victoria whistled and put some of her looted mementos securely away into her pockets. If she ever needed a good laugh, she could play with them again, while thinking of this giant fireball, and Republic idiocy.

"As I said: You shall all burn", she whispered. The way to her hidden backup stealth shuttle was long and difficult, but Victoria was smiling all the way.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas_ _,_ _Imperial Citadel_ _,_ _29_ _BEA_

Victoria liked the Imperial Citadel, especially when she approached it after a successful mission. Glowing red Imperial banners, the monuments to Sith glory all around, vivid crimson lights... And then there was the Sith Sanctum, its cold a pleasant relief after the sweaty heat of the jungle.

The inquisitor didn't have to wait long before her master called her into her private sanctuary. Serpentis was pacing, and lines of worry marred her withered face. A smile crept around her lips, though, when she saw her apprentice approaching. The sight was still a bit unsettling, but Victoria had gotten used to it during the last months.

"There you are, young dragon. It seems congratulations are in order, once again. Republic comm chatter is filled with angry references about the death of General Vien, and it seems even a clever Sith intrigue isn't enough to slow you down. Or at least not more than a strained ankle. So much for Adara Vesh, by the way. Her whole family seems to be trouble. Headstrong, despotic, Force-sensitive trouble."

Serpentis lifted her hands and conjured the Force. Healing energy emanated from her, and mended the last of Victoria's injuries which the Kolto treatments on her way back hadn't healed yet. Then the old Sith sat down, while shaking her head. The look of worry in her eyes had returned.

"It happens too often, too soon, lately. Apprentices plotting against their masters, cross-Sphere-rivalries resulting in hundreds of deaths, murder between acolytes within the Sith Academy itself. The strongest shall rule, yes, but if we don't manage to maintain a certain level of stability, we will self-destruct, and all the Republic has to do is drink in sync and laugh."

Hm, she could use a drink...

Wait. Apprentices plotting against their masters? Victoria scratched her head.

"Shall I take this personally?" she asked tentatively. While the young inquisitor was almost sure that this wasn't the case, there was no such thing as absolute security or certainty among Sith. Or anywhere, really.

"No, young dragon." Serpentis' smile was back. "I know that you haven't changed during the last years. Not in that regard, at least."

Her smile became wider.

"But I do indeed sense a certain change in you, Lord Kell. Your strength is growing, your power increasing. Good! And from what I've gathered from the Republic reports and your own debriefing over comm, you have finally stopped thinking with your instincts all the time, and discovered that you have a brain."

If there hadn't been a certain twinkle in Serpentis' red eyes, Victoria would have been tempted to feel offended. Instead, she took her master's words for what they were – more compliment than insult.

"Is there another mission, or do you have any additional training sessions prepared?" the young assassin asked hopefully. While her previous assignment had been taxing, she felt as good as new again, and the last thing Victoria wanted was sitting around and die of boredom.

Serpentis eyed her carefully.

"Kell? Not that I wish to discourage your enthusiasm, but you really need a hobby. And neither 'reconstructing droids' nor 'rebuilding lightsabers' will suffice, I'm afraid."

Victoria just shrugged.

"What shall I say? I love my job."

* * *

 _Imperial Assault Shuttle,_ _Somewhere in the_ _Known Universe_ _,_ _29_ _BEA_

Slit some pirate's throat on Hoth. Captured a Republic spy near Chandrila. Killed three defected captains en route to Denova. Tricked some Hutts during a short stay on Nar Shaddaa. And that was only the last week...

Victoria yawned, satisfied. She felt each and every muscle in her body, but also the increased power, a kind of intensified connection to the Force. It was becoming easier to call on her emotions, and to focus the dark energies on her target of choice. She'd been able to cause quite some mayhem before, like back on the ancient dreadnought, Ikoral's 'Red Reaper', but always with the risk of completely overstraining her powers. Now, she had a level of control she'd never possessed before.

The Red Reaper...

So much for control, the young Sith thought, as she felt electricity sparkling from her fingers without a conscious command. Well, at least she was able to acknowledge the irony, and her own limitations. Knowing that meditation alone wouldn't help in the slightest from experience, Victoria went to the back of her shuttle, put a Force-dampening collar around her neck to decrease the chances of accidentally ripping her small ship apart, and went berserk on her training dummy.

"Sa-tis-fac-to-ry so-ci-o-path", the inquisitor growled, pairing each syllable with a punch. And each hit, in turn, made the dummy shake.

"For the Em-pi-re. Blas-ted black ban-tha. Dam-ned drea-ded Darth."

The worst part wasn't even that Fortis' assessment had been unfair. Quite the contrary, actually, even though she'd have liked some sort of verbal acknowledgement of the impossible odds they'd overcome. Far worse were the memories of being in his debt for his little stunt with the Force during the Black Talon incident, despite not being in the same blasted sector, and of her own surprise making a fool of herself at the debriefing afterwards. Only because he'd removed his mask.

Okay, 'surprise' was mostly a euphemism here – 'full total panic mode' would have been more accurate. She hadn't dared to speak to him after that, and tried her best to avoid him completely.

Which didn't stop him from appearing in her dreams and nightmares from time to time, in varying roles, even now, more than one year after everything had happened. Last night's guest appearance had been especially vivid, but not of any enjoyable sort. The young Sith had seen him die, and woken drenched in sweat. It was a little bit pathetic, all things considered.

Victoria struck again, and an ominous cracking sound alerted her to the fact that her training dummy was supposed to stand straight, and shouldn't have a right angle in the middle.

Blast it all.

* * *

 _Imperial Assault Shuttle,_ _en route to Dromund Kaas_ _,_ _29_ _BEA_

Victoria was pacing. Granted, that happened with a relatively high frequency, but this time, the young Sith tried to get a particular variant of anxiety out of her system. It didn't work, but she was out of liquors, her training dummy was broken, and an attempt at meditation had only worsened her state of mental unrest.

Last night had been a direct replay of her nightmares from the night before. Not impossible by chance, but the young Sith hadn't survived this long by ignoring her instincts. Something was wrong, she just knew it, and since she couldn't just call the Darth in question due to the lack of his holo frequency, Victoria had opted to return to Dromund Kaas to speak to her own master instead. She'd given Serpentis the short version over holo, which had been a little mortifying. 'Having nightmares. Seen the idiot Darth die. Could you check if he's alright?' didn't sound particularly sane, no matter how she phrased it.

When an emergency holo call from her master came in, with new meeting coordinates attached, Victoria felt her pulse slow to what she liked to call 'concentrated battle mode'. The aimless anxiety was gone, replaced by certain knowledge that something was amiss. Searching her ship's data banks didn't offer much additional information, though – the coordinates Serpentis had sent belonged to a planet in the Tion Hegemony, a hopeless backwater region, where minor nobles prattled constantly over hyperlane access rights and trade benefits. The world of Kaon seemed particularly boring – a small, rainforest-covered ball of space dust, somewhere in the Back Spiral of the whole cluster. What, in the name of the Emperor's most ugly terentatek pets, had made Fortis visit this space hole in the first place?

Coming out of hyperspace, Victoria recognized at once the call-sign of the 'Shadow Hunter', Darth Serpentis' personal Harrower-class dreadnought. Next to it, there was a sleeker Terminus-class destroyer in orbit which the young Sith couldn't identify from the top of her mind. Not that it mattered, really. The inquisitor hurried to dock, and proceeded to greet her master.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _,_ _Orbit, Shadow Hunter Bridge_ _,_ _29_ _BEA_

" _Rakghouls_?"

Pain shone in Serpentis' crimson eyes, as she answered Victoria's outburst with a single word.

"Yes."

Hectically, the young Sith checked her equipment. Lightsaber and replacement, fine. Detonators. Medpacs. The usual tricks of the trade. But nothing in her possession was really fit to deal with a city-wide outbreak of the most dreaded plague in the known universe. And her robes were no armour, any rakghoul would bite or scratch right through. Wonderful.

"We have to get our people out of there!"

The old Sith turned, and somehow, the anguish in her face seemed to intensify.

"Not possible. The spaceport is the nexus of the outbreak, a planet-wide quarantine is in effect, and the risk of spreading the disease is far too high. No ship may leave Kaon until the crisis is resolved, one way or another."

Uh-oh. Good thing that this didn't sound ominous at all.

"One way or another?" Victoria asked, and her master made a gesture that was half a shrug, half helpless wiggling.

"This message here was received one hour ago. Comm contact has been difficult ever since the fall of the spaceport; we sent an answer, but are not sure if it has been received."

The holo projector before them sprang to life, and rendered a perfect scaled image of Darth Fortis, down to each and every ridiculous spike of his blasted armour. Victoria tried to hold onto that feeling – it was better than the rising helplessness.

"Time 09:00:00. Update on the rakghoul plague outbreak, Kaon City, Kaon. Contact to the spaceport is impossible, and control of the adjacent territory is lost. The number of combat-ready soldiers, both Imperial and Tion Hegemony, is dwindling rapidly, and the number of infected is near inestimable at this moment. Total number of Sith available is down to three. Troop orders are to defend the perimeter around the spaceport at all costs and stop the spread of the infection. I will proceed to clear a route to the spaceport. If the structure can be reclaimed, enough epicentre specialists and containment crews plus droids may be landed safely to salvage anything from this situation. Failing this, I order a general large-scale bombardment of this city sector, plus a safety margin of fifty miles in every direction, to be started at 18:00:00. Fortis out."

It was still the same calm, composed voice that the young Sith remembered, even as the Darth more or less signed his own death warrant. The image faded, and Victoria, at a loss for words, looked back to her master. Serpentis' face had become a carefully controlled mask and didn't betray her feelings any more.

"The order has been approved by the Dark Council. In eight hours, from now, the planet's capital and quite a bit of the lethal jungle around it will become dust."

Great. Let the idiot burn, if he wants it this way. Perhaps then the nightmares will finally stop.

At least this was what Victoria intended to say.

" _No!_ "

Somehow, mysteriously, her vocal cords were intent on rebellion, though. Serpentis jerked as if somebody had been stupid enough to slap her, and for a moment, her mask slipped.

"Do you think I want to lose one of the few reliable allies I have, young dragon? But I am out of options. This ship carries a set of ten doses of an experimental anti-rakghoul vaccine, but that's about all we have with regard to specialized gear. Since two shots, applied within some hours, are required for a reliable protection, its more like five doses in total. Needless to mention that it's not enough by a long scale, even if we were to land more troops. Specialist crews and medical staff reinforcements are en route, but as it stands, and it pains me to admit it, Fortis' orders are the most rational course of action."

Deadly calm had settled in Victoria's mind while her master spoke. When she'd finished talking, the younger Sith looked around the bridge.

"Is there any form of highly concentrated alcohol available around here? It is, literally, an emergency."

"Lord Kell! This is most inappropriate." Serpentis' eyes were blazing, but Victoria stared right back, unaffected by the criticism.

"It is not", she argued, and stepped over to an ensign, who had winced nervously at her words. At her approach, he produced a hip flask of unidentifiable contents. The assassin took it, opened it, smelled carefully, and sampled about three drops of the content.

"Correlian Whisky? Not bad at all."

She returned the bottle, and stalked back to her master, face set, mind as adamant as the plague below them was deadly.

"I'm taking four of the vaccines available, a long-distance high-power communication device, and an emergency escape pod, plus my two operational SP droids. I'll be in touch when the spaceport is reclaimed, otherwise proceed with the bombardment as scheduled. Use the time in between to synthesize more of the vaccine if you can – six samples should be enough to start with."

Serpentis blinked.

"I don't want to lose you either, Victoria."

The assassin let it slide, just this once.

"Through power, victory. I don't intend to die", she proclaimed, and turned towards the turbolift, but was called back by her master again.

"If you don't mind me asking, Lord Kell, what was that all about, with the liquor?"

Victoria frowned.

"Well, I can't very well volunteer for a completely and utterly insane suicide mission while being fully sober", she answered, surprised that this wasn't obvious. The assassin had something called 'pride', after all.

Serpentis shook her head, but Victoria was quite positive that she had spotted the shadow of a smile at last.

"You are still sober, young dragon. Even if that amount of alcohol had any effect on you, which I highly doubt, it would need more time to take effect."

"Fine. You are correct. But please don't tell Fortis."

Serpentis massaged her temple. Perhaps she needed some liquid courage, too.

"Then take this key card, Lord Kell. It's for a container with one of my own armour sets; it should be your size and will serve you better than the silken robes you are wearing now. I'll have it sent to your escape pod, you can gear up during your descent. And don't forget the vaccine."

Victoria grasped her master's hands, and pressed them, once.

"I'll be back", she promised, touched.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _,_ _Orbit,_ _Escape Pod_ _,_ _10:30:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

The scream was likely loud enough to be heard on the Shadow Hunter's bridge, even with the distance of cold vacuum between the two unlike vessels. Red haze filled Victoria's mind, as she focused her lightning, and burned and scorched the offending pigments until the surface of the object in question was uniformly charred. Four carefully aimed yet violent strokes of her lightsaber to the armour's shoulder parts later, she activated her holocom, and called Darth Serpentis.

" _Violet?_ "

The old Darth tilted her head.

"Not any more, unless the line here has colour issues."

Victoria threw the cut spikes against the camera.

"I do hate you right now."

Serpentis lifted one finger in a mock reprimand.

"Manners, Lord Kell!"

"Fine. I do hate you right now, my master."

"That's better."

"I'll be back. If only to flood your quarters on the Citadel with gundark dung."

"Love you too, little dragon."

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Spaceport Perimeter,_ _1_ _1_ _:30:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

A dark, greenish-brown haze engulfed the whole city of Kaon. Victoria wondered whether it was due to the rakghoul plague, or if the planet's capital was always this charming. She had no time to waste, though. Patching herself into the standard holo frequency of the Kaon military forces which she'd gotten from her master, the young Sith ventured out, droids in tow, surplus vaccine doses securely hidden in her new armour's pockets, and cloaked with the Force. Fortis was somewhere close, she could feel his presence. Well, she'd already sensed him from orbit, truth be told. And the spaceport was waiting, together with what was likely a legion of half-sentient infectious beasts by now.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Spaceport Perimeter_ _Base_ _,_ _1_ _1_ _:3_ _5_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

"I demand to know where _your_ escape shuttle is. _Now_!"

"Yes, tell us _at once_!"

Victoria used the nobles' hysterical shouting to sneak around the corner, and into the room. She only hoped that the soldiers were guarding the rakghoul side of the perimeter with a bit more zeal. Similarly, the situation within the room didn't look very promising at all. Five nobles of the Tion Hegemony, together with a number of bodyguards, stood at one side of the room, fists respectively guns raised. On the other side of the room, two Imperial troopers had their weapons ready, while a well-known figure in full black armour was bent over an improvised stretcher. To no avail, though – the young assassin felt the small shift in the Force, as another life slipped away.

Between the two opposing groups were a number of regular soldiers, led by a major, who didn't look very comfortable. More accurately, he looked as if he was about to be sick. The heavily armoured Sith Lord rose.

"There is no shuttle", he stated, in a tone that allowed no objections. Suddenly, the nobles were all located at least two or three steps further away; Victoria hadn't even noticed them move.

"In another time, I would call for your execution", Fortis continued in his best matter-of-fact tone. "For now, I am needed elsewhere. Leave now, and I might still allow it."

The room was empty in record time. Only the major remained, in addition to the Imperial forces present. Victoria remembered Fortis' message; one of the "three Sith total" was lying dead in this very room, and with the exception of the Darth, she sensed no other Force user nearby. Not that two more lightsabers would have made a huge difference. She watched Fortis from the shadows, curious. Victoria was pretty sure that he hadn't noticed her – the fighting must have taken a heavy toll out of his usual vigilance. His whole figure seemed a bit smaller than she remembered, and his posture contained an element that the young assassin had never noticed on him before.

Weariness.

"So it's true, then", the major commented. "In some short hours, we will all be dead. I thought you'd have a plan..."

"You have already heard it." Fortis' voice was still deadly calm. "The troopers will stay here and help enforce the quarantine. I will go and reclaim the spacepo..."

Usually, people had enough common sense not to interrupt the Darth when he was speaking. Victoria had violated that rule herself already, because her common sense did have the unfortunate habit of taking longer holidays, but the major was too worked up to listen to his.

"Are you crazy? This is completely impossible. You must be mental..."

Victoria decided that this moment was as good as any to make a little guest appearance.

"Don't waste your breath", she advised, "he wouldn't even understand the meaning of these words if you gave him a dictionary. Believe me, I know."

She removed her own mask to the sound of an igniting lightsaber, and made a face towards the approaching Darth, half frown, half lopsided grin, as she noticed that her voice sounded way fonder than she'd have liked. There was about one full second of complete silence.

" _Victoria?_ "

What was it with people and her given name, lately? Again, the young inquisitor decided to let it slide. Instead, she took out one of the vaccine vials, and presented it to the Darth, just as he deactivated his weapon.

"Vaccine. Anti-rakghoul drink, round one. Inject this at once, Doctor's orders, courtesy of Darth Serpentis. Preferably neck vein or similar. Shouldn't be poisonous; I've noticed mad hunger and the need to kill something as side effects, but that could also be my usual instincts. Nothing to worry about."

Thinking again, the young assassin spun around.

"I'd close my eyes if I were you", she commented towards the major. "I'd even close my eyes if I were me, come to think of it. And since I happen to be me..."

She shut her eyes, right as she heard a deep sigh somewhere next to her.

"Lord Kell. Why are you here?"

Of all the possible questions he could ask...

Victoria smiled her most brilliant fake smile that made her look as if she wanted to bite somebody's head off. She knew that for sure, for she had spent hours before a mirror, practising this look to perfection.

"For the Empire!" she boomed, eyes still resolutely closed, and tried to copy her SP droids' most brain-dead enthusiasm. The assassin had always wanted to borrow that catchphrase.

"Kell. Have you ever heard of emergency induction ports?"

Oh. Was that how people in heavy armour took their in-fight stims and kolto?

"Uh, no. Sounds clever."

"No, it doesn't. They are structural weaknesses, and this type of armour doesn't have any for this precise reason. Just wanted to make sure you are aware, since your experience with real armour is lacking."

The vial was taken from her hands, just as she opened her eyes out of reflex to give the chunk of tar a piece of her mind, free of charge. But, thankfully, she only saw the back of a black hood. Fortis had been courteous enough to turn towards a wall while he applied the medicine.

The major, half forgotten during their exchange, shook his head.

"You are certainly two of a kind", the Kaon native remarked, and Victoria pondered ripping him apart for this insult, but then she decided that he wasn't worth the effort.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Theatre District_ _,_ _1_ _2_ _:_ _1_ _5_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

"Why are you here, Lord Kell?"

Victoria jerked in surprise as Fortis' voice echoed through the empty cinema they were crossing. The alternative routes had been full of rakghouls, so the assassin had distributed some of her demolition charges between the respective doors to block reinforcements, and condoned the popcorn under her boots.

"Certainly not for this motion picture", she quipped, and gestured towards the frozen screen. "The actor is terrible, by the way. And the snacks there on the ground don't look too appealing, either."

"Kell, I'm serious."

The assassin turned her head slightly. "So am I. Voted 'Kaas' worst representative to the universe' for his last two films, and this is one of them."

"Kell..."

Victoria sighed.

"To stop the dreams", she admitted, and realized a bit too late that this could be understood the wrong way. "Nightmares, I mean! Nightmares. Just ugly, boring, repetitive nightmares. Certainly not the other kind of dreams. Nightmares."

Ugh. She probably shouldn't have acknowledged the 'repetitive' part. With sudden dread, she pressed her hands to her mask.

"And don't _dare_ to try to read my thoughts!"

"Of course not." Fortis' voice sounded... sincere. "And of course you were talking about nightmares."

That last part didn't sound so sincere, after all, but... amused?

The inquisitor whirled around.

"Trice-damned blackened bat of a Darth", she cursed, and stopped herself just in time before she hit him. Her nerves were a little bit on edge.

"Blackened bat?"

"Blackened bat", she confirmed. "But I'll give you that – you are a bit taller than the average bat. There are some huge ones on Dagobah, though, those might fit better."

The Darth ignored her rambling.

"So you master didn't order you on this suicide mission – it was your own decision", he deduced. Fortis' voice had a certain ring to it which Victoria couldn't really place. Satisfaction? Relief?

Wonderment at her stupidity?

"Blame it on some alcohol", the inquisitor murmured. Or hitting her head once too often. Or weird endorphins. Whatever.

Ugh. Hopefully he really wasn't reading her thoughts.

"New armour?" the Darth asked innocently, changing the topic abruptly, and the young Sith exploded again, this time screaming incoherently, bursting into an aura of lightning. When she got a hold on herself again after about three seconds, she frowned. Not that he could see it behind her mask, but still...

"Was that necessary?" she growled. "You do know me..."

"I do know you", came the retort. "And yes, it was necessary. Around that corner in the next room are about twenty rakghouls, and you fight best when sufficiently angry, not flustered."

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Theatre District_ _,_ _1_ _2_ _:_ _30_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

Victoria deactivated her lightsaber and looked around. The ground before her was scattered with rakghoul limbs, but neither she nor Fortis had been hurt. Running around in armour had its advantages, she thought, remembering one especially obnoxious rak which had tried to chew her arm off, only to lose a tooth while trying. Sometimes, there was some form of justice in this galaxy after all. SP-03 hadn't been that lucky, though. Its chassis was all but crashed, a leg ripped off, and it couldn't go on with them. The young Sith activated its emergency mode and hid it in a counter, to be reclaimed later. Her second droid, SP-05, was fine, though.

Victoria jumped over the counter again, ready to continue, but stumbled upon something soft. Half-afraid that she had touched something unmentionable connected with the rakghoul digestive system, the assassin was relieved to see that it was only a small plush nerf. One leg was missing, though, similar to her droid, and it had definitely seen better days.

The young Sith stood very still for a moment. There had been other films, in other cinemas; she'd seen the posters. Many of them had been family-friendly. And quite a lot of the rakghouls she'd just killed had been very small.

Something rose within Victoria, a strange mixture of burning heat and icy cold that she had no name for. A visible dark red gleam started to play around her figure, but there was no heated rage that clouded her mind. Instead, cold fury sharpened her senses, made her keenly aware of everything around her.

"I will kill everyone responsible for this", she said, and it wasn't a threat. It was a promise, directed at the small toy nerf that lay broken on the floor.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Park District_ _,_ _1_ _3_ _:_ _0_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

A multitude of explosions later, the two Sith and one droid finally reached the parks closer to the spaceport. Victoria had stopped counting how many rakghouls she'd killed; the number was high, though. Definitely larger than those killed by her companions. Fortis showed his usual skill with the lightsaber, and fought against the never-ending waves of monsters without hesitation or resignation, but he seemed to be a tad slower than usually. And he had completely refrained from using the Force to crush whole groups of rakghouls to grey pulp.

"Sorry for asking", the young Sith blurted out, "but when was the last time that you got some sleep?"

The fact that Fortis had to think about her question told Victoria all she needed to know.

"More than 48 hours, at least", he answered. "A representative of the Sphere of Diplomacy and Expansion caused an incident on Kaon, and I was the closest Sith of sufficient rank to both reprimand the culprit, and smother his blunder. We need more allies among the independent systems to face the Republic, but the negotiations got difficult, and with the rakghoul outbreak that followed..."

No rest in a war zone, right. Victoria shook her head.

"You haven't changed your Sphere allegiance, right?" she asked, trying for some humour to ease the tension. "I can't really picture you as a full-time diplomat. Though your handling of the annoying nobles back at the perimeter post was quite..."

"Disastrous?"

"Efficient. But you have a point, too."

There was a sound that Victoria couldn't really place; it was similar to a snort, but that was highly unlikely.

"Perhaps you are right. It wasn't that different from the Sphere of Diplomacy's usual way of handling situations, all things considered."

The inquisitor frowned.

"Wait. Our diplomats just land on random worlds and utter death threats? No wonder most people usually guess that the Pubs are the good guys."

Fortis' expression wasn't visible behind his mask, but the young Sith wouldn't have been surprised if he'd made a face.

"Now you know what I had to reprimand the 'diplomat' for. The Kaon nobles weren't amused."

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Park District_ _,_ _1_ _4_ _:_ _0_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

Victoria checked her chrono for the fiftieth time on this day, and then looked around to monitor their surroundings. There was another park in front of their little group, and it seemed deserted, quiet. Even peaceful. A pond was visible in the distance, its fountain deactivated, but the corresponding sculpture was still beautiful, even in the everlasting gloom. With a bit of sunlight on a clear day, this whole area might be a nice spot to spend an afternoon.

Granted, she'd probably fall asleep within five minutes, but right now, a little bit of boredom seemed truly desirable. The inquisitor looked towards Fortis, and her worries grew; the armoured Darth hadn't complained once, but Victoria had caught him stumbling twice within the last hour.

"Small break?" she suggested. "We've still got plenty of time left before the fireworks start, and my head hurts."

That was a lie; the young Sith was still feeling pretty well, all things considered. But she'd rather take the blame for the delay herself. Insulting her ally (and implying that he was weak did certainly count) was something she did out of reflex and partly for sports, lately, but only when he was able to retort in kind. Right now, Victoria wasn't sure he'd waste his breath, and she wasn't about to add to his burden.

Without wasting more energy than necessary for a small nod, Darth Fortis sat down on a bench, while her droid kept watch at the fountain. If Lord Kell hadn't already been worried, she'd have started to feel distress now. She tried to come up with something clever to say, anything really, to lighten the mood again, when she felt a small tremor.

And the world around her exploded in dirt, grass, water, and metallic debris from the fountain. Where the sculpture had stood just seconds ago, there was now a giant mass of red muscles and brown spines and thorns.

Victoria screamed in shock and jumped away from the rakghoul behemoth that had appeared out of nowhere. Fortis was on his feet again, too; she heard the sound of his lightsaber singing. But SP-05 was gone, permanently, his remnants mixed with the ruins of the fountain. Igniting her own weapon, the Sith stowed away her sorrow for later, and concentrated on vengeance.

This was easier said than done, though. The rakghoul before them was gigantic, easily the hugest monster they had encountered until now, and near-invincible. The young assassin was quite positive that she'd aimed well, but the monster before her just shrugged at some of her lightsaber strikes. Impossible as that should have been, Victoria opted for wondering about it later.

The beast lunged, and the young Sith hurried out of the way, but a dull clash followed by a thud made her blood freeze. She whirled around, and saw the rakghoul, ready to pounce again, all its attention concentrated on a black figure on the ground that did not move.

Time stopped. Victoria saw a dark red fog engulfing everything, herself, the fallen warrior, the infected creature between them. She tried to move, but there was a strange pressure around her, as if the very air had become solid. Some light was left in this eerie world, though; her hands were gleaming in the darkness with the force of life itself. A giant ball of energy was directly before her, pulsing evilly in the shape of the monster. But there was also a third light, weaker, waning, on the ground, some steps behind the gigantic ghoul.

All fear and all doubt left Victoria, giving way to something else. There was nothing left in the universe but these three lights in the gloomy landscape around her, and she focused on the two sources in front of her. Forcing her fingers to bend despite the resistance of the atmosphere, the young Sith pressed forwards, crushing the heart of the beast in her sight and feeling its life force ebb away, while desperately trying to keep the weaker light aflame.

The world around Victoria transformed back to normal, and the air stopped caging her. The rakghoul fell, dead, without so much as a last roar. But the young Sith couldn't have cared less as she jumped over the corpse, towards the point where black armour reflected the few lights from distant lamps.

"If you die on me now, I'll kill you", the inquisitor growled, desperate to keep some walls between herself and the dark gulfs of despair. She knelt, and fumbled with the seals of Fortis' mask; having learned the similar mechanisms of Serpentis' old armour made the task easier. Putting the piece of metal to the side, Victoria checked his pulse – it was unsteady, and weak, but still there.

Not too late to change the nightmare.

"Son of a dustbin. I need you."

 _Ouch_.

Good thing Fortis was unconscious.

The young Sith was no healer. It was beyond her skills to direct the energies of the Force to mend wounds within a fight. But afterwards, yes, she could use the Force to recuperate faster. Using the same technique now, but concentrating on the thin bond between them, Victoria put one hand on the Sith Lord's cold forehead, while steadying herself with the other as she summoned what Force powers she could reach. Red flames danced around her, as the Force complied, and spread towards her ally. Slowly, Victoria felt something else; a kind of pull, not very strong, but there, through their connection in the Force. She allowed it, and sensed the bond intensify for a moment, as parts of her power flowed towards the fallen companion. Visions appeared before her, single images, faces – angry nobles in the Kaon royal garments, fists raised. The lifeless face of an unknown Sith, dead on a stretcher. Her own face, with her yellow eyes shining like twin suns in the darkness as she put away her master's old mask.

With some major delay, Victoria realized that she was violating someone's privacy here. She closed her mind and blocked the flow of visions, or memories, whatever they were, and suddenly noticed that the pull through the Force had stopped. Fearing the worst for a heartbeat, she bowed forward – only to stare directly into a pair of dark orange eyes.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Park District_ _,_ _1_ _4_ _:_ _2_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

Surprise all but petrified Victoria for a moment, but didn't last long. She shot up, and dislodged her hand from Fortis' head as if she had burned herself. Then memory stirred, and the young Sith checked for the vials in her belt. Luckily, they were not broken.

"Another dose of the vaccine is necessary for full rakghoul immunisation", she stated, voice as controlled as possible, and pressed the medical injector to his neck. "And with the beating that you took, I'm not taking any chances. Try to relax."

Unceremoniously, and with a bit more force than necessary to play down a sudden bout of self-consciousness, the young Sith pushed the trigger. And since she was distracting herself anyway, the inquisitor also took the last dose and subjected herself to the same treatment.

"We... endure."

It was a relief to hear Fortis' voice again, though Victoria wouldn't have admitted it willingly.

"It was close enough, though", she stated, and frowned as she noticed that the Darth' breath was still shallow. "You feeling better, by the way? Your lung doesn't sound that good."

There was just enough light left in the semi-darkness of the ruined park for the young Sith to see the corners of Fortis' mouth twitch slightly.

"I suppose it will improve significantly", he answered, "once you have stopped kneeling on my chest."

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Park District_ _,_ _1_ _4_ _:_ _3_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

If there had been a galactic championship for speed backward rolls, Victoria would have held the new record for the twenty feet distance. She was still trying to decide whether to curse, apologize, or just implode, when she felt the slight pressure of an armoured hand on her shoulder.

"Kell, time is of the essence. Can you hide us both from the regular rakghoul hordes with your Force powers, and lead us to the spaceport? There are riot control droids there, which couldn't be activated remotely, but if we can reach the master control terminal, the spaceport is ours."

The words filtered through the chaos in the young Sith's head, and made her nod. She had never succeeded in hiding more than two beings from view, but with SP-05 gone, this wasn't an issue any more. Masking a droid in addition to herself was easier than another living being, but she'd done it on the Red Reaper once, with the support of an ancient relic. There was still a bond between her and her fellow Sith, though, and the inquisitor was keenly aware of the warrior's movements. It made holding the connection easier, even though it was not beneficial for the state of her nerves.

At least Fortis had put his mask back on. Something was back to normal.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Spaceport_ _,_ _1_ _5_ _:_ _0_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

The spaceport of Kaon City. Finally.

Victoria was no architectural enthusiast, but seeing the huge building loom before her felt good, despite its ugliness. The two Sith made their way into the structure, like shadows in the darkness, and reached the control terminal Fortis was looking for without being challenged by the remaining rakghouls.

And when the Kaon droids came online, one by one, Lord Kell allowed herself a breath of relief. They could really make it.

If the rakghoul outbreak hadn't started here, on this very level, the young Sith thought, the spaceport's mechanical security forces could have quenched the plague in minutes. But the rakghouls hat gotten the officers in charge before they could activate their supporting droids. That somehow implied either really bad luck, or a sentient force and planning behind the whole outbreak. The difference, in short, between a tragedy, and murder. And after meeting and subsequently destroying three weird semi-sentient rakghouls nearby, which seemed to act as as guardians, cooperated beyond the usual pack dynamics, and even used weapons, the inquisitor was heavily inclined towards believing in murder.

Fortis made his way to the main sensor console, while Victoria guarded his back, and nodded once.

"Numbers of rakghouls in the vicinity are dwindling rapidly. The droids' destructive output, together with their sensor range for rakghoul identification, appears to be satisfactory."

The young Sith felt her blood pressure rise at that last expression, but movement somewhere further in the dark distracted her. Fortis had heard or felt it, too; both Sith activated their lightsabers again and closed in on their target.

But, for once, their caution wasn't necessary. A woman appeared, in Kaon pilot armour, hands up, and without any visible signs of rakghoul infection. The young Sith was aware that she could be infected, anyway, but with the protection of the vaccine running in their blood, Victoria was quite sure that the pilot couldn't hurt them, even if she tried.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. Don't shoot. Not a rakghoul. Just a harmless shuttle pilot. Name's Melarra."

"You survived. Explain how."

The young Sith felt the increasing cold at Fortis' words, and saw the woman pale.

"Uh... I don't really know. Luck?"

Victoria knew that this was not the truth, and the Darth next to her mirrored her thoughts.

"I won't tolerate deceit. Tell us what happened here."

The young assassin watched as the pilot started trembling.

"So, uh... these rakghouls? Yeah. I brought them. On my shu..."

Red dark gleam around her figure. Cold, sharp fury in her mind. The figure of a broken plush nerf, lying on the ground, still vividly before her eyes. Victoria stepped forwards, one hand raised, and Darth Fortis sensed her intention. He stepped aside, and nodded, once; the inquisitor didn't need any more signs of permission.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _City_ _,_ _Spaceport_ _,_ _1_ _5_ _:_ _5_ _0_ _:00,_ _29_ _BEA_

"Control of the spaceport is restored. Rakghouls are all but eradicated within the building; droid forces are rounding up remainders and forming a second security perimeter. Power levels are approaching normal levels. We should have the communication platform and remaining data banks back online shortly."

Victoria sighed at Fortis' assessment of the situation.

"And we still have more than two hours", she yawned, suddenly extremely tired. "What a luxury. Plus, it seems I didn't even need to bring the emergency communicator."

"True. But it's usually wise to take precautions."

The Darth turned back to the console.

"I'll contact the fleet to call off the bombardment. I suppose Darth Serpentis is in command?"

"Yep. She's virtually the only one of the Dark Council who regularly gets around and does some real work for a change."

After the day she'd had, Victoria wasn't that keen on diplomacy. She was a little surprised, though, when she saw Fortis turn and shoot her something she assumed would have been a very dark look without his mask.

"Oh, come on, I'm sure Darth Azamin is pretty nice and everything", the young inquisitor grumbled, "but from what I've heard and seen, he and most of his peers on the Council waste their time playing political games. If they didn't have their apprentices and followers, this Empire would have fallen apart a long time ago."

Fortis still stared at her, and Victoria gestured vaguely.

"Look at you, for example. You run around through this whole galaxy, and do whatever you can for the Empire. Scratch that, you do more, and on a regular basis."

The Darth at the console lifted his hand towards his head. Victoria heard the faint sound of metal on metal.

"Kell. First, Azamin is neither pretty, nor nice."

Shrugging, the young Sith nodded. It was becoming harder to concentrate, now that her adrenaline levels were falling.

"Possible. You could still vanquish him in a second, if you wanted."

"Why should I do this?"

"Exactly the point", the inquisitor smiled tiredly. "Those chairs on Korriban look majorly uncomfortable."

She didn't look towards her companion, but heard the sound of metal on metal again. This time, it was louder.

"Lord Kell, either your humour has evolved to something I can't name during the last year, or your interest in Sith politics is even worse than I imagined."

Victoria shrugged again.

"Probably both", she answered, not even wondering what he meant, and started to pull data from the console before her. The infected shuttle had come from somewhere, probably on someone's orders, and even though the pilot seemed to have done her best to erase the data, both in her little spacecraft and through this console, the young Sith was confident that Imperial Intelligence could put the relevant facts together in time.

* * *

 _Kaon_ _,_ _Shuttle, Orbit_ _,_ _29_ _BEA_

Victoria yawned again, and looked drowsily to the Darth who piloted the ship.

"I'm surprised you didn't stay on Kaon to kill the last rakghouls personally", she commented. Her brain had reached that funny state beyond usual tiredness, when one's thoughts start to go fuzzy, and one can stare at a wall and be fascinated by the patterns for minutes without twitching. Especially if the wall in question is completely and utterly blank.

She hoped that Fortis was in better shape than her – or that the shuttle had a good autopilot.

"Serpentis asked for my presence at the debriefing. Since this shuttle was scheduled to return to the Shadow Hunter, it made sense not to delay."

The young Sith nodded sleepily.

"Promise me this, though", she murmured, while putting away her mask and trying to get more comfortable. "Get some sleep before you engage in any negotiations with the Kaon royals again."

"I am not suicidal. I assume you would still kill me if I died on you, even if its due to lack of sleep and not a rakghoul attack."

Victoria nodded, sleepily, and needed some seconds till his words fully registered with her mind and memory. Then, she jumped up and balled her fists, suddenly wide awake.

"I thought you were unconscious!"

The black armoured figure before her shrugged slightly.

"Not completely."

The young Sith dropped down again, trying desperately to remember what she'd said during those dark minutes. Hopefully not everything that lurked in the deeper corners of her mind.

"Kell..."

"Don't!" Victoria pressed her hands to her ears. "Don't. Please don't. Not now."

Whatever it was, be it reprimand or something else, she was in no shape to deal with it now. But then she remembered one thing she wanted to say, before the awkwardness reached its maximum again.

"But... Fortis? Whenever you find those people behind this, behind the rakghoul outbreak on Kaon... or something else interesting, like Ikoral's crazy savages... give me a call?"

The Force bond between them was not yet broken, and Victoria sensed... She wasn't even sure what she sensed. But it wasn't denial.

"Agreed."


	13. Lady of Sorrows

_Asylum, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

In hindsight, Raven had no idea how their strange and estranged group had reached the Gravestone without further incidents – like sudden attacks on each other, shouting contests, or murder attempts. The young Sith thanked the stars that, at least for Lana and Lea, her own ghost problems hadn't come as a surprise. The ghosts of the past which Senya was fighting were another story entirely, though. Even Lea, who had sided with the Zakuulan warrior out of reflex since the main conflict had arisen between her and Koth, was far from amused at Senya's long silence regarding vital information.

Lord Kallig had finally managed to talk everybody into some kind of truce until they reached their weird home, and to her surprise, it had lasted long enough. Now that they had left the open streets of Asylum, though, all bets were off. The inquisitor signalled the Jedi to stall at least one of the antagonists, and raced towards the new medbay to get some additional kolto packs. Those handy little helpers weren't of much use against decapitation, but with a bit of luck it wouldn't come to that. Raven turned and hurried to the bridge, just in time to see her sister and Koth enter. She wouldn't have needed the Force to sense the general tension.

"I take it you have concerns."

Leave it to Senya to state the obvious. If this attempt at communication was meant to mollify the fuming Zakuulan renegade captain, it was a spectacular failure. His retort came promptly.

"I can think of a few!"

Lana, voice of reason as usually, tried to calm them down.

"You are only escalating matters", she remarked, and tried to position herself between the two Zakuulans. Raven gave her points for trying.

"You expect us to believe you're going to fight your own children?" Koth exclaimed, and his voice rose. With the amount of anger he was radiating now, the young assassin was impressed he'd managed to stay relatively calm during their way back. She didn't really know what to do, though. Senya's pain was nearly visible, and beyond simple comfort. And somehow those two had to try to work out their differences, new and old, after all.

Plus, as long as Senya and Koth were busy with shouting at each other, neither of them would shout at herself. Cowardly as this may be, Raven was enjoying those moments of respite.

"I can't deny my responsibility for what Vaylin and Arcann have become", Senya stated, obviously fighting to regain her composure. "I have to end their bloodshed."

Hopefully without creating a bloodbath on her own. Before Koth could shout something else, the young Sith intervened.

"We'll stand with you, Senya", she declared, and saw Lea and Lana nodding. Something like relief played around the warrior's features.

"Good", Senya breathed, and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, Raven knew that she was looking at past memories.

"We never agreed on how the children should be raised, and over time, he became more and more distant… more cold."

The dark side. Raven remembered her dreams when she was frozen; the former Emperor had said that he had been different on Zakuul. But even if he'd tried, even if that had been the truth, the darkness of his usual self had caught up with him. The only being Raven knew who had really succeeded in splitting his personality was Revan, her almost namesake, and nobody in his or her right mind should ever want to copy that little stunt. This road only led to insanity and destruction.

"I was afraid of what the children would become, but when I decided to leave… they chose him. I couldn't force them."

Senya's voice hitched, and Raven balled her hands out of reflex, feeling her helplessness.

"You've been lying to us all this time!" Koth countered. "Now you give us this woe-is-me story and we're supposed to take your word for it?"

"Stop it. If anything, it was lying by omission, and how long did it take _you_ , Koth, to spit out that nice little story about how much damage you and yours did to the Core Worlds?"

Lea's voice climbed as well, the Barsen'thor seemingly becoming as annoyed as the guy she'd just reprimanded.

"You don't have to take my word", Senya answered in Koth's direction, pain and helplessness replaced by anger, and Raven took a deep breath. She had an idea what was coming. "You can ask the Immortal Emperor himself."

Bingo. Sometimes, though, the young Sith hated being right with a passion.

"I am not him", she said, and fought a mixture of nausea and indignation. "I am myself."

Koth's whole aura… changed. His posture, too. And there was suddenly a gleam in his eyes that Raven didn't like at all.

Sentimentality. Hero worship.

"When Valkorion was in charge, he wasn't focused on waging war. If we can get him back on the throne…"

"That monster tries to possess my sister! Besides, _he_ started the war you blame his son for! Or do you think the devastations on Tython and Korriban, under _Vitiate_ ' _s_ orders, were just courtesy calls?"

The young Sith acted out of reflex, and used the Force to press her sister against the next wall. Lea had jumped with her last words, hands towards her lightsaber, and was now forming a rather interesting sculpture at the back wall. She wasn't actively fighting back, though, and after a second, Raven felt the typical pull at their shared Force bond.

 _It's okay. I'll behave. At least for now._

The inquisitor released the Jedi, and Lea put away her weapon again. Her frown remained, though. Raven couldn't blame her.

"Valkorion is a world devourer."

Lana filled the void verbally, and the young Sith was relieved that the blonde Sith wasn't as volatile as her sibling when it came to defending herself. Not that Lana would want Vitiate on the throne again, far from it, but for Lea, each syllable from Koth equalled a direct attack on Raven, and that was one of very few things the Jedi wouldn't tolerate.

Koth, on the other hand, wouldn't tolerate criticism on his former leader.

"He brought direction and stability to Zakuul", he exclaimed, and Raven lifted her hand again, making Lea run headfirst into an invisible wall instead of Koth. She didn't blame her, though.

"Trust me, Koth, you don't know him like I do."

Lana, at least, was somehow keeping her composure. Koth, predictably, did not.

"No", he growled, "you don't know him like I do."

"Neither of you know him like I do."

Senya. Raven quenched the mental pictures which wormed their way into her mind at these words, and wondered whether the knight had listened to herself.

For one second, there was blissful silence.

"Try sharing a little less", Vortena remarked, and finally, Senya understood, blushing slightly.

"That – that isn't what I meant…"

Just as Raven wondered whether the situation could get any more awkward, HK interrupted them. The young assassin could have hugged him.

"Interruption: The Republic astromech has established contact."

* * *

"Do I really have to keep calling you that?"

"Afraid so. You know what business I work in, right? And this line is still not secure."

Raven sighed.

"Alright, ' _Shoulder Pad_ ', but this set of nicknames is even worse than the last. If that's possible."

She could nearly see the grin on Theron's encrypted picture.

"Not a fan, ' _Nightshirt_ '?"

"No, definitely not. And after the day I've had, it's giving me an especially obnoxious form of a headache. You wouldn't believe how long Stone Brow and Dreads can shout at each other. And then, there's this message that some being is searching for our nice morbid house. Intentions potentially benevolent, but I'm not so sure about it."

"But… you searched for him, anyway, and converted him to your cause, right?"

Raven snorted. "Sorry to disappoint, but he's a 'she', and I didn't even go and start looking for her. I've decided to ignore this lead; too dangerous, too uncertain, and if that being is really looking for us, she will find us by herself if she's any good. No, I just wanted to call you. I really need to speak to someone sane for a change, and then it's time to make a small visit to Mr. Mask's cellar pits. Need some things, and can't get everything here where we are now."

Raven didn't know if the Zakuulan underworld really offered everything they needed for further repairs on the Gravestone, but a trip to Arcann's doorstep would certainly be a diversion.

"I understand. But hey, Nightshirt? Be careful, okay?"

The young Sith smiled.

"I usually try, you know that much. Doesn't always work, though. But this time, I believe that our destination may be safer than the place where I am now. Spikes has kicked Dreads into the next wall for starting the destiny discussion again, and I was too slow to stop her. Well, maybe some part of my mind wanted to kick him, too, for raving about the brilliance of the big bogeyman, you know? Now he's sulking, Spikes is still angry, and Robohand fears that the whole group might fall apart."

* * *

"Now that the truth is out about Valkorion, there's a shortage of trust. I need you to find it within yourself to try."

Raven looked into Lana's worried face, and nodded, wondering how she was supposed to do it.

"Not an easy task", her friend admitted freely. "Koth believes in Valkorion. Senya withheld vital information. Neither one trusts the other, and I believe your sister doesn't fully trust anybody except you, and probably Theron. That's why you must act as an example."

Trust. Yes. Raven noticed, though, that Lana had left herself out of the list.

"Do you think Koth and Senya are trustworthy?" the young assassin asked, genuinely interested. Lana only frowned.

"I'm too much of a realist for absolute trust – especially after Ziost – but I know that their intentions are sound", she answered, and the inquisitor agreed. That didn't mean she'd have to like all their personality quirks, though. If Koth asked her to surrender to Valkorion for the greater good, she'd kick him into the next wall herself.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Shuttle, 5 AEA_

"… a love the hand of Tyth could not deny…"

Raven had closed her eyes while Senya was singing, and let the beauty and melancholy of the songs carry her mind away from her current worries. Koth had joined them, too, to take care of some personal business on Zakuul; the young Sith suspected that he wanted to keep an eye on the knight during the flight. The assassin had been careful to sit right between them, until Koth had found an excuse to work at something or another in the back of the shuttle. Some time after that, Senya had started to sing.

"Thanks for sharing", the young inquisitor smiled, and heard a cough from Vortena. "Isn't this a bit strange, though? We're headed back into the heart of Arcann's empire, and you're singing?"

She knew different cultures with a rich history of battle songs, but those usually sounded different. And contained way more vivid descriptions of dismemberments and eviscerations.

Senya smiled in return, and there was a twinkle in her eyes. Raven suspected that she'd had read parts of her thoughts, or at least caught onto her general mood. The x-ray eyes of the former knight seemed still be able to see right through her.

"What better time?"

She got serious in a second, though.

"Anyway, where we're going, no one will be looking for criminals. Most of the people are criminals. Which is why we'll have a chance to find the equipment you are searching for, but it presents its own dangers, too."

The time to disembark was upon them. Koth stayed on board for now, but he had agreed on meeting them later. For now, Raven was glad to finally have some time alone with Senya. There were one or two things she wanted to talk about. The older woman sighed, and looked around.

"I do enjoy visiting the Old World. It's a piece of Zakuul history. Valkorion's first attempt at creating a grand society..."

The inquisitor looked around. "A failed attempt, I take it?"

Senya tilted her head, as she tried to open a door in their way. It resisted, though.

"Only in scale. To him, it wasn't nearly grand enough."

No surprise there. Vitiate had known the full overblown grandeur of the Sith Empire, after all. Some small town in the swamps didn't really compare. Vitiate… Valkorion… Stars, there was no polite way to ask this, but Raven was curious, anyway.

"I would like to know more about your relationship with Valkorion", she said, and hoped that the knight wouldn't take offence at that. Senya's smile turned very wry.

"The story really isn't as outlandish as whatever you're imagining", she answered. "We met after I earned a place in his elite guard. I never hesitated to speak my mind, which… caught his attention, I suppose."

Her last words sounded a bit unsure, but she regained her composure as she continued.

"He was fascinating. Bold. Always completely certain of his next step."

The young inquisitor could almost see it inside her head. Regal, kingly Valkorion, the darkness inside him either carefully hidden, or not yet as pronounced, beloved ruler of his people. A young knight, powerful herself, outspoken, with a strong will – and hero worship turning into something more.

Still, Raven herself actually preferred a bit of awkwardness and shyness in a potential partner.

"I won't judge you for falling for him – he sounds way more human than I'd have thought, at least", she commented. "Still, every 'next step' he took was for his own gain…"

Senya frowned.

"Like I said earlier.. the man I knew was different. He did nothing but improve his people's lives."

The warrior shook her head, and smiled sadly, as she continued.

"What we had wasn't a child's notion of romance, but… we were happy. Then Arcann and his brother, Thexan, were born."

Darkness crept into her voice, hurt and sorrow mixed with regret – the inquisitor knew that the story had had no happy ending.

"I loved them so much, but no matter what I did… they wanted nothing to do with me. And Valkorion wanted nothing to do with them. His mind was somewhere else. He barely spoke, barely acknowledged any of us for weeks at a time…"

Had this been the time when Vitiate started his plans for galactic annihilation, and he was busy plotting the end of everything? The Emperor had been silent for many years in the universe Raven knew as well, with the possible exception of shorter orders to his hands and his chosen Wrath. Or did he have a third identity, somewhere else in deep space, where another empire, another family might have lived happily with their almighty ruler and father during this time?

"And then Vaylin… Vaylin was troubled from the start."

Senya's voice dropped, and Raven felt a pang of regret. Nobody should have to relive such pain.

"I know this is hard for you", she whispered. "We don't have to keep talking about it if you'd rather not."

The knight had turned and looked into the distance at the young Sith's words, now she tilted her head and half nodded, half shrugged.

"I've kept it in for twenty years, and I wouldn't say it helped. We'll see if letting it out works any differently."

For a moment, Raven believed that she heard a hint of humour. It didn't last long, though.

"I confronted Valkorion. His daughter needed help. His sons needed him."

Senya's gaze was now firmly directed away, her voice full of anger.

"His 'solution' was to cage Vaylin's mind. Most of her power was locked away, along with most of who she was. He ignored the rest of us outright."

A short pause, and the knight caught her breath. Raven knew what would come, had seen enough pieces of the puzzle to tell the rest of the story herself, if need be. But still, she listened, and tried to give strength to the older woman by just being there.

"I couldn't stand by and watch." Anger coloured Senya's voice, but also defeat. "I gathered the children, I tried to tell them we needed to go. They laughed and called me weak. Even as children – even with Vaylin's power restrained – the three of them together were still far more powerful than me. I couldn't force them to go. So… I left."

Raven closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the scene. Even as a spectator, it hurt. It hurt immensely.

"I'm so sorry", she repeated her words from the Scion's sanctuary. "But what about Valkorion? Did he try to stop you from leaving?"

She was pretty sure that he had not, and Senya's words confirmed her suspicions.

"No", the knight answered simply. "I'm not sure he even noticed. I transferred to the Knight's enforcement division and took assignments at the outer fringes of our empire. Valkorion never spoke another word to me."

She shrugged, a visible sign of her helplessness – both then, and now.

"Since then, I've only seen my children in broadcasts of public events… like Thexan's funeral. Killed in the Core Worlds… I doubt they even remember me."

The door opened, and Raven spotted the Republic astromech T7 at once. Ever since the deceptively harmless-looking little droid had helped her get out of her carbonite prison, the inquisitor had a soft spot for him.

"Thanks, little one", she smiled. But then, the Sith turned to her companion again – there was still something left that she had to say.

"You were never weak, no matter what your children said", Raven stated, and hoped that the knight would feel her sincerity. "On the contrary, you were one of very few people who ever stood up against the Emperor. No matter if Vitiate or Valkorion. Perhaps one day your children will finally see it. And there is something else… While I was frozen, I dreamed about him, about the Emperor, and he in return spoke to me. Later, too. He once told me that he was different on Zakuul, and not the cold monster I knew. He claimed to have found love on your world. And he said that he'd made a mistake, by letting the mother of his children go. Probably the only mistake he ever admitted. Whatever he's now, whatever horrid stories we have told you about his other incarnation – what you had, back then, before the cold, was real. Find solace in that."

She wasn't sure if it was really the truth, but hoped it nonetheless.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Old World Markets, 5 AEA_

Raven was sitting on a stool at one of the small market stands of the Old World, sampling fruit juices, and playing Pazaak against T7, while staying in the shadows as much as possible, and trusting her hood to obscure her scars. She didn't want to draw more attention than necessary. Still, her primary mission in the Old World had been a success. All missing components for the Gravestone were now securely stowed away in her pockets – luckily, none of them was very big. The Sith felt that she had earned some small form of reward while waiting for her allies, and opted for some berry juice. With the exception of bog apples, lots of the plants growing somewhere in the Eternal Empire's realm were quite tasty.

After their shopping tour, Senya had declared that she needed to talk to a contact, and left the young Sith with the Republic astromech. Koth was still busy as well; Raven only hoped that both hadn't run into each other and started fighting again.

"Intelligent, skilled, confident... and fearless. Senya does not give in."

Nearly choking on the content of her goblet, the inquisitor coughed in earnest, and shot a very dark look towards the translucent figure with the confident voice. But Vitiate seemed more amused than anything. Before she could think of something intelligent to say, though, her holocom chimed.

"If you can read me, I made some new friends", the very knight she had been thinking about declared. "Could use a hand."

"I'm on my way", the young inquisitor answered, gulped down the rest of her drink, checked the coordinates, and hurried towards her goal, T7 in tow.

* * *

"Feel the power of Zildrog's claws!"

Knowing both Senya and her own luck, Raven had already suspected that the former knight didn't need another team-mate for a Sabacc tournament. She dived into the protecting shadows of the Force, closed in, and took two of the dark-robed assailants by surprise. The third fell to Senya's blue blade. The young Sith ignored the cheers of the crowd behind her, and allowed herself a second to assess the situation. One of the mysterious attackers had wielded a green lightsaber, but he was anything but a Jedi Consular. They weren't knights, either, and definitely no Scions. Raven thanked the stars for this small mercy – she still remembered Heskal's weird white torch eyes.

"Who were they?" the Sith asked, when memory alone proved insufficient to identify the corpses. The answer came promptly.

"Heralds of Zildrog", Senya answered, and was courteous enough to add an explanation. "Cultists longing for the return of a mythical serpent god. Used to be they were just a nuisance. Now they're militant."

Yet another group of force-using cultists, who were beyond sane according to every definition that Raven knew? Sometimes the young Sith wondered whether there was something unhealthy in the Zakuulan standard diet.

Hopefully not in their berries, though, or sweet pears. These drinks had been delicious.

"Did you provoke them?" the inquisitor asked, not wasting time with mincing her words. Not bothered by her directness, Senya just shook her head.

"No", she stated. "They were sent after me by someone in this room, likely because of some questions that I asked... There you are!"

Her last words were delivered in a growl. Like a predator stalking her prey, Senya stepped forwards, and pulled a man from behind a counter without regard for his well-being, yelp of shock, or the intactness of his fancy garments. Raven heard fabric tear, and saw that the knight's armoured fingers had left visible traces on his shirt.

"Siccing Heralds on me, Reg? Not too bright."

The man, Reg, reminded Raven profoundly of the rats which infested Dromund Kaas' sewers. Arrogant enough to try to bite one's feet, but fast to squeal and hide again, at least when the foot in question turned out to be heavily armoured.

"It wasn't me! The Heralds run the Old World now. They made a deal..."

Raven tried to interrupt Senya while she interrogated Reg, but to no avail. When the older woman punched him, though, and started to lift him with the Force, the Sith used the Force as well to separate them. Reg landed on the floor, whining again, but Raven only concentrated on her companion.

"Would you mind telling me what's going on?" she asked, with more than just a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice. "Usually, we don't walk around and beat up random people."

Senya's mouth twitched, despite the criticism. "Usually I wouldn't", she remarked, "but I heard rumours that might explain Koth's delay, and suspected that you might want to know whether your renegade ally is alive and well."

Startled, Raven looked up, her worries about Senya's behaviour replaced by fear for her other companion.

"Where is he?" she asked, and was surprised when Reg answered.

"I don't know", he snivelled, "but I do know who to talk to. There's a data seller at Market Station, Mona Gale. She works with the Lady all the time."

"The Lady?" Raven echoed. Wasn't the Lady of Sorrows the mysterious potential ally that her faithful HK hat mentioned back at Asylum?

"Wait a moment, both of you. The Lady of Sorrows has done something to Koth, or knows something about Koth, or about somebody who has done something to Koth?"

No matter, really. The young Sith didn't like this at all.

"Probably the latter", Senya answered, "but I wouldn't rule out the former completely. Mona Gale. All right."

She hesitated for a moment, but didn't grant Reg so much as another look.

"Sorry. Let's go."

Raven followed the knight, but took some seconds to put her purchases under the guard of T7. The little astromech was to return to their shuttle, and thus, she wouldn't be hindered by more encumbrance than necessary. She had a feeling that their search would take significantly longer than three minutes.

* * *

"If I knew where to find my most lucrative, reclusive and dangerous meal ticket, I wouldn't give that up for one Knight and... whatever you're supposed to be."

Raven stared at the woman before her. Fancy clothes, more make-up than what could be healthy for the average type of skin, and no morals at all, at least from what the Sith had seen during her previous conversation with another citizen whom the data seller had scammed. And Koth was in danger. She had no time for subtlety.

"I am the Outlander accused of murdering the allegedly Immortal Emperor", Raven declared, and pulled her hood back, allowing the artificial light to shine on her scars. Senya next to her twitched, but to her surprise and secret disappointment, Gale only shrugged, and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Sure. Looking good for a block of carbonite, by the way. Astonishing mobile, for example. Now, when you're done wasting my time..."

Raven was spared having to answer by a loud and familiar voice which boomed through the whole hall.

"People of Zakuul, this is your Emperor. Hear me."

Slowly, the young Sith turned, while calculating the number of potential enemies and possible escape routes around her. The likelihood of this being just a case of bad timing was... slim. She stared at the holo projection of Arcann, with his mask and his black mechanic arm, and cold spread through her stomach.

"The criminal who plunged our great Spire into darkness and chaos has finally been identified."

The projection changed, replaced by a very detailed picture of none other than herself, down to her scars, her current hair style, her black and red robes, and everything. There was even a small smile playing around her virtual face, for whatever reason. And it wasn't an evil I'll-kill-you-all type of grin, but a genuine smile, albeit with a trace of irony, and a matching sparkle in her eyes. Why Arcann had picked that particular picture was completely beyond the young Sith.

"The craven Outlander who assassinated your Immortal Emperor – my dear father – has escaped custody and remains at large, aided by a rogue Knight of Zakuul. These deadly agitators were last sighted in the Old World. If you encounter them, contact an authority figure immediately."

The projection faded, and Raven allowed herself a deep breath before turning towards the data seller she'd previously been talking to. What her own declaration had failed to achieve, Arcann's announcement had done in seconds: Mona Gale had paled completely, and looked as if she'd just seen a ghost. Or was seeing a ghost, really.

"So...", she stammered, trying and failing to appear brave. "So, where were we?"

* * *

After extracting the necessary information out of the trembling woman, together with the promise to stop taking advantage of citizens in exchange for the guarantee that the Outlander wouldn't 'agitate' her and the people around, Senya and Raven left the scene. The young Sith was sure that their presence had already been reported, again, and she wasn't so keen on staying after that.

"You know, we might owe Arcann a thank-you, for unintentionally helping us", Senya remarked, thoughtful. "That announcement really brought you some clout."

Raven looked at the people whispering in the distance. Even the criminals gave them a very wide berth.

"If this is unintentional help, I'd hate to see what it looks like when it's on purpose", she answered, and shuddered, recalling that the current Emperor had actually helped her once. Sort of. Memories threatened to rise again, of the Spire, the Eternal Throne, Vitiate, Arcann, his sister, _her_ sister, the feeling of chains around her wrists, the energy ball that had seemingly engulfed the Barsen'thor...

Enough, she reminded herself, and visualized Lea with a cup of herbal tea. She knew that her sister was alive and well, but that didn't stop her still-present trauma to resurface now and then.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Breaktown, 5 AEA_

Breaktown. Or, as Senya had put it, the place where people who had fallen on hard times kept falling. Raven ignored the stench, which was pretty easy by now since her nose had numbed completely, and tried to ignore the casual violence she observed as well. This was harder, though, for her emotions hadn't blunted. She wanted to stop, to step out of the protecting Force cloak, and to shake the people around her until they started to act more... human again, for lack of better words. But the Sith knew that the effort would be futile, and that they had no time to waste.

Finally, they reached the Herald's headquarters. From what Raven had gathered, the Zildrog cultists either were directly responsible for Koth's disappearance, or did at least know how to reliably contact the Lady of Sorrows, the second potential culprit. Cooperation was highly unlikely, though. The Sith sighed. Cooperative behaviour in others was nearly always highly unlikely.

Senya's next words echoed her thoughts.

"A lot of firepower standing between us and their leader. They call him 'the Exalted'."

Wonderful. Nothing like a fancy nickname to prove the intactness of one's sanity...

"Arcann put him in charge here", Senya continued, "but he's little more than a servant. And not a sane one."

Yes. Raven had figured that one out by herself.

"Do you think we can make a deal with the Heralds?" the Sith asked. Assuming, of course, that these cultists weren't responsible for cutting Koth to pieces. Senya's blue-grey x-ray eyes glowed in the darkness.

"They are delusional thugs", she hissed. "There's no deal to be made."

And when Raven finally saw the Exalted, with his burning red eyes, pale skin that the average Lord of the Sith would have been proud of, red tattoos, and aura of madness, she couldn't help but agree with the former knight. Introducing a bit of reason to this crowd of cultists would require nothing short of a miracle, and she doubted that creating a Nar Shaddaa style ground quake would suffice. She still tried diplomacy, however. But as the cult master started rambling about prophecies, and declared that she had no place in their visions, Raven was almost glad that the Exalted ordered his people to kill her. The appearance of a Nautolan, who called the head Herald per holo on behalf of the Lady of Sorrows, and invited herself to a meeting as well, delayed things a bit. But when the projection had faded again, the Exalted hurried away to save his son, leaving his people to fulfil his previous order.

Raven clenched her teeth as she cut another of the cultists down. It wasn't that the fight was terribly dangerous or something, but the snake statues and the insane babbling of the cultists were jangling her nerves. At least now she knew that Koth was still alive, and where to find him. And neither these 'Heralds' nor the ominous 'Lady' would stop her.

The young Sith thought of her considerations at the market stand, made up her mind, and decided with a heavy heart that it wasn't worth the risk. The fruit juices she'd sampled ages ago had been mouth-watering, sure, but whatever madness infected the lower (and most likely upper) parts of Zakuul, she wanted no part of it. She'd refrain from buying another bottle, just in case there was really some poison in one of the more frequently-eaten plants.

* * *

 _Zakuul, The Razor, 5 AEA_

"The Heralds had a head start", Raven commented, while the Razor's elevator took Senya and herself towards their goal. "Be ready for anything. We could be stepping out into a minor war."

If those two Knights of Zakuul hadn't interrupted them, it wouldn't have been so bad, but Novo and the other guy wouldn't listen to reason. The young Sith still hoped that they'd manage to free themselves from their shackles before some of the more unpleasant inhabitants of the Old World ran into them.

"Or a trap", Senya countered. "Or Koth's entrails on display. Not that I am hoping."

The smirk on the knight's face was positively evil. But Raven had to give it to the older woman – Senya hadn't allowed her misgivings about the renegade captain to interfere with the rescue until now. That entitled her to some sarcasm.

The elevator stopped, the door opened... and Raven had to correct her grammar. They were stepping out into what had likely been a minor war, albeit a very one-sided and short one. Dead Heralds lay on the ground, scattered, and only the leader of the strike team was still alive. The Sith wouldn't have bet much on his continued survival, though, for he was being lifted into the air by a peculiar droid, who managed to appear even more threatening than her own hunter-killer model.

"I know", the machine said, with a weirdly-pleasant female voice. "You didn't get the deal you wanted. But you did get the deal you deserved."

The Exalted was in no place to answer, but the droid continued, anyway.

"Think of it this way, Exalted... you'll finally be with your great serpent."

The arm of the machine glowed with electricity, and a second later, the corpse of the former leader of the Heralds fell to the ground. Raven used the seconds to conjure a Force barrier, just in case, and looked around. She saw the Nautolan who'd called the Heralds, then the Exalted's son, unbound and unharmed... and Koth, also unharmed from what she saw, and free. He smiled in greeting, and Raven felt relief. Purest, undiluted relief. The droid's voice cut through her thoughts, however.

"I'm curious, Outlander – what would you do with the Exalted's son?"

A morality test? Here and now? Who was responsible for that machine's programming?

"You got what you wanted", the Sith answered, deciding to humour their host. "Let him pursue his life as he sees fit."

Seeing the gleaming red eyes of the Exalted's child, his pale face that spoke loudly of the dark side, and his casual reaction to his father's death left little doubt in Raven how that life might look like.

"Not unreasonable", the droid commented calmly, "but my full intend has yet to be achieved."

It... she... turned, and focused on the sole surviving Herald in the room again.

"There is nothing to stop you from becoming the new Exalted now. I expect you to honour your end of our agreement."

Wonderful. The son was even worse than his late father. The old Exalted had at least displayed some form of family loyalty. Those two would have fit right into the darker corners of Korriban.

Which was not a compliment.

And the machine... Raven marvelled at the mixture of honey and venom in her voice. It must have been ages since her last memory wipe; the Sith suspected that she'd achieved the mechanical equivalent of sentience a long time ago. Ruthless cunning, cool calculations... a capable being, most certainly. Also, dangerous beyond question, at least if the number of corpses in the room was any indication.

"Probably not the condition you wanted to find me in."

Koth. Raven had all but forgotten about the captain after her initial relief. He now stood in front of Senya, gesticulating wildly. Time to play fire extinguisher... again.

"Good to have you back, Koth", Raven interrupted, and placed herself between the two Zakuulans, while trying to attract as little attention as possible to that move. She gave Vortena a pat on the back, really glad that he was okay. Koth smiled, anger forgotten, and nodded.

"Thanks. The Lady knows all about the Gravestone, what we're using it for. I didn't tell her, she already knew. Also knew a lot about you."

Right. There was still the whole... kidnapping business to clear up.

"You're the Lady of Sorrows?" the young Sith asked. "A droid?"

It must have been her imagination, but the temperature in the room seemed to drop quite a bit. Strange. Raven had only ever encountered that effect among other Sith. On the other hand, the machine was probably wired into each and every control unit of this room, including temperature and air conditioning. And the Lady of Sorrows surely knew about how to convey a certain image.

"No, don't call her..."

Koth interruption came a little too late, but Raven wasn't terribly sorry if she'd accidentally offended their host. She'd caused the Sith quite some troubles as well, not to speak of the worries for her ally.

"I am no droid, Dark Lord. I am an intelligence beyond comprehension. You may call me SCORPIO."

Raven nearly saw each capital letter before her eyes. Worse, she recognized the name. Once, probably some time after her hunt for Sith ghosts, she'd read an intercepted Intelligence report about galactic threats and artificial intelligence. The main focus had been on G0-T0, an infamous smuggling ring leader plus Republic reconstruction caretaker, even though that combination sounded highly unlikely. It had been destroyed a couple of centuries ago, if Raven remembered correctly, but there had also been a section on similar machines at the end of the report, including something on a recent discovery with this precise designation.

"Do you really think it's intelligent beyond comprehension to just abduct a friend of mine?" Raven asked, while reaching for her lightsaber. The droid... machine... whatever, the being before her didn't even blink.

"The organic being was looking for me. I simply took the liberty to make his search more efficient", SCORPIO commented. "And then I used the opportunity to direct you here as well. It was nothing personal."

The yellow eyes of the dro... machine turned towards Koth, and then back to Raven.

"The proposal put forth by your colleague intrigues me enough that I've decided to accompany you."

Uh, wait...

"Is that right? Why would I want that?"

The words were out faster than Raven could stop them, but SCORPIO didn't seem to care about her manners.

"I wish to speak to the Gravestone. I look forward to communicating with an intellect that rivals my own for a change. In turn, I will reallocate parts of my intellect to aid your operations."

"What about Arcann?" Senya interrupted. A valid point, Raven agreed, since they most certainly didn't want to allow an ally of the tyrant access to their ship. They had no way of knowing whether the machine was telling the truth, though, but the Sith was pretty sure that Arcann wouldn't plant a sleeper agent droid in his own underworld for years, just in case that a wanted fugitive might try to make contact. And her skills sounded more than useful, actually.

"He has something of mine", SCORPIO answered. "The severity of his error must be recognized."

Raven sighed, and made her decision.

"Welcome to the team, SCORPIO."

"And so you are coming with us? Just like that?" Senya sounded incredulous. For once, she and Koth seemed to agree on one thing.

"Watch this one", he commented. "She's a bigger threat than Senya any day."

* * *

 _Asylum, The Gravestone, 5 AEA_

Raven breathed deeply as Asylum and her starship came into sight. She was still majorly concerned about its destructive power, but for now, Koth's crew had found no trace of anything completely unusual in its construction. The main weapon was highly advanced, sure, but still just technological, not magical. And they had discovered no hint that it might distort the structure of hyperspace when used, or having another hidden cost, either.

She'd still sleep better at night once that thing had been analysed completely.

Right now there was something else on her mind, though. Not as lethal, at least she hoped so, but highly awkward nonetheless. The young Sith collected what resolve she could find, and went to see her sibling. She only hoped that Lea was in a meditative, solemn mood.

"Hey, sis", the young Sith greeted, and tried valiantly to control her voice. Success was doubtful, though; Lea jumped as if poked into her side, and grasped the hilt of her lightsaber.

"Okay, who shall I hunt down? And why?"

Raven blinked. "Uh... nobody? Everything's fine, really."

The Barsen'thor rolled her golden eyes.

"Yes, of course. That must be the reason why you are standing here, shaking like a Mantellan Grazer on Hoth, and looking as if you caught the Emperor stripping."

 _Yuck_.

"Exactly the mental image I needed", Raven groaned, and pondered running into the next wall at full speed for a moment. Perhaps a concussion would erase her memories of the last seconds...

"Always pleased to help", the Jedi beamed. "But seriously, what can I do for you? You aren't looking that good, and that was true even before my... colourful comparison."

The young Sith dropped down on an armchair, and gratefully downed the cup of tea her sibling offered her. With the warm, soothing liquid inside her stomach, Raven felt that forming some words wasn't that much of an impossible task, after all.

"Something on Zakuul made me think about that one mission again", she confessed, wondering if she had to give further specifics regarding which particular event she meant. But she didn't; her tone had included every information Lea needed. The Jedi closed in, crouched, and picked up Raven's hands, stopping her from pressing her fingernails into her palms.

"Sometimes it helps just to talk about it", Lea said, calmly, but with warmth. "I'll be here if you need me."

Raven sighed, and pressed her sister's hands in return. "One day I probably should. Talk about that, I mean. It still hurts to even try to think about what happened back then, five years ago, both on the destroyer and in the Spire. Especially in the Spire. But while I appreciate your offer, that's actually not what I wanted to talk to you about."

Surprise appeared on her sister's features, but the Jedi only shrugged. "Fine as well. As I said, I'll be here if you need me, and right now, that seems to be the case nonetheless."

The Sith closed her eyes, not able to look into her sister's earnest face right now. She was afraid of seeing it turn into a mask of laughter in a second.

"Remembering that... incident made me think on what I've been... missing, both during the last five years and before", the inquisitor confessed, and prayed to all Sith spirits around that her face wasn't glowing as vividly as she feared. There was a short time of silence, where Raven was keenly aware of every breath taken by her and her sister; even the low hums of the Gravestone seemed unbearably loud all of a sudden.

"I see", Lea answered thoughtfully. She was still holding her sister's hands in her own, though, and now pressed them, encouragingly. "Just to make sure that I do not misunderstand you: This is about Theron, right?"

Spot on. Naturally. The Jedi did know her well.

"Um... yes?" Raven cheeped, and cringed in horror at her voice. She still kept her eyes closed, but knew, just knew, that the Barsen'thor was nodding.

"And we are talking about something... more personal. Or _trying_ to, at least. Alright."

Lea cleared her throat.

"First things first. SCORPIO, T7, if any of you two is listening in, that's your only warning. _Out_. Or I'll turn you into scrap metal first chance I get. Same goes for any organic listeners, only with carpaccio. Got it?"

The shock of imagining their whole crew listening in on this conversation made Raven open her eyes quite fast. She therefore saw as Lea withdrew her hands, just to pick up a data pad, and activated some subroutines.

"Better safe than sorry", the Jedi shrugged. "Now we should have an adequate level of privacy."

Golden eyes caught blue ones, and Raven wanted to look away, but couldn't.

"Now, about the rest. Sorry for being blunt, but you wish to talk about sex, correct? If this is only about kissing, that jamming field was probably overkill."

The young Sith wouldn't have been able to answer that, even if her vocal cords had indicated a basic willingness for cooperation. She only nodded, mutely, and felt the temperature of her cheeks rise some more. Lea didn't laugh, though. Moments like these were the reason why Raven wholeheartedly loved her sister.

"Usually I would ask you now why you'd assume that a Jedi knows more about that particular issue than a Sith, but I don't want you to faint, and we both know that you are correct, anyway. Even though my experience is limited to one specific person, in case you were wondering. Should you ever meet Tai Cordan, then remember that you owe him a drink."

The Jedi frowned for a second.

"If you believe this is awkward, by the way, then imagine having the same talk with mother. Since her spirit was living inside my head at that time, I couldn't even run once I had started asking."

Raven twitched, and her sister lifted one eyebrow.

"What, did you think the two of us are the result of in vitro fertilisation? Sorry to disappoint you. I agree, though, picturing ones own parents during that particular activity is a tad disturbing. Suppose it's a cultural thing, though, there doesn't seem to be a truly valid rational reasoning for this..."

Enough. Raven pressed her hands to her ears, and hoped she'd wake up from this nightmare soon. Lea, completely unperturbed, continued via telepathy.

"I wouldn't worry about the Emperor chiming in, while we are at it. I mean, he certainly remembers stuff about this as well, given that he has three children, but if he wanted to kill you, he'd certainly not go for cardiac infarction. Hells, Moira, could you try to remember breathing?"

Right. Breathing. Slowly, the black splotches before Raven's eyes disappeared again.

"I do assume that you are familiar with the basic anatomical facts, at least in theory", the Barsen'thor continued mercilessly. "If not, there are some educational vids on the holonet which I would recommend. Try an anonymous pubic terminal, though, or encrypt your own console accordingly."

"I know the basics", Raven murmured. She was an assassin, after all, and her training had been quite thorough, especially with regards to lethal and non-lethal target areas on the average bipedal body. Plus, emergency kolto applications after a battle left no time for shame.

"Assassin, right", her sister nodded. "It probably goes without saying, but no knives, no lightning, no Force in general for your first time. You'll be way too nervous for maintaining full control, at least if your current behaviour is any indication, and if everything goes well, you can try out the really kinky stuff later."

Breathing. In. Out. In... Again, the black colour disappeared from before Raven's eyes.

"Let's go over the general advise first. Point number one: Never ever even think about engaging in intercourse for the wrong reasons. Being afraid of just missing out is a bad reason, for example. But I have seen you looking at Theron, and I have reason to believe that this isn't really an issue. Just be sure that you are really ready for this; there are things that shouldn't be rushed, and this is one of them."

Lea interrupted herself, and the Sith wondered whether she was expecting her to take notes, but the Jedi only helped herself to another cup of tea.

"Point number two: Talk. Theron's not a telepath, and reading one's thoughts is still bad manners when done in the bedroom. Not that it has to be a bedroom, technically, but I would recommend it for beginners. No insult intended, but I doubt Agent Shan has much more experience than you. I once checked his mission history; deceptions, assaults or tech tricks are his usual way of operating, but I haven't found even one case of seduction. Probably a sign that he's keenly aware of both his strengths and weaknesses – very commendable."

Lea cleared her throat again. "By the way, I didn't admit this, okay? Knowing such things would imply that I violated his privacy severely, and that would be bad manners, even for a concerned sister. Anyway, talking is important. Talk about your insecurities, that's fine. And about your preferences, that's equally important. And encourage him to do the same. You'll both blush like crazy, I suppose, but it will be better in the long run. I'll guarantee you that much."

Another short pause, and another sip of tea. Raven copied her sister, hoping that the liquid would calm her nerves. She was feeling a bit better by now though, strangely enough. Probably this was one of the cases where the relative level of horror of a situation seemed to diminish, given that one was able to endure that special situation long enough.

"Point number three: Protection. Now, follow me, and use your Force cloak if you can."

Lea got up with her usual elegance, and walked out of her quarters and towards the mess hall without hesitation. Raven shadowed her sister, and didn't even want to imagine what was to come.

It was evening, and the whole room was full with Koth's crew and the Zakuulan refugees. The young inquisitor also thought she'd felt Lana and Senya nearby, but didn't dare to look closer.

"Hello friends and associates", the Jedi called into the room, loudly, voice steady, a friendly smile on her features. "This is a kind of emergency. Could anybody help me out with two or three condoms? Very much appreciated!"

* * *

Raven didn't know how she'd managed to return to the Barsen'thor's quarters without simply incinerating on the spot. Her head was glowing brilliantly red, at least she thought so; anything more of this, and it might even shine through her Force cloak. And as she listened to everything her sister had to say, which was a lot, and watched the Jedi put the rubber over her fingers before asking her to copy these movements and get familiar with the objects in question, she decided that she would do her best to avoid Tai Cordan till the end of her days.

* * *

Author's Note: This shouldn't be worse than contraception leaflets for teenagers, and thus I'd suppose I haven't violated the 'T' rating. Please notify me if I'm wrong, though.


	14. Secrets of the Jedi

_Alderaan, Wilderness, 6 BEA_

"Andronikos?"

"Hm?"

"Do you snore?"

Raven watched as the former captain stopped cleaning his blasters, tilted his head, and gave her a wry little smile. Night was coming, fast, and with it the cold of Alderaan's early spring, but that didn't worry the young Sith; with their thermosilk sleeping bags and Hoth-tested heating cubes, they could have survived camping in a snowdrift. In comparison, their little mountain cave deep in the Juran Mountains was downright cosy. Her Dashade wouldn't have appreciated the scenery, the inquisitor thought, but Khem was guarding the ship again. None of them wanted to rely on House Thul's security forces when it came to their Fury starship.

"Having second thoughts about spending the night in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a mannerless pirate for company?"

Chuckling, Raven shook her head. "Not really, no. Besides, you weren't that bad on Tatooine. Or did you actively try to make a good impression back then, to make me more agreeable on taking you with me?"

"Guilty as charged. I even used a fork. And a spoon!"

Now Andronikos was laughing, too.

"But seriously, Sith, we spent more than two weeks running through the Dune Sea, and the tents weren't exactly soundproof. You suffering from partial amnesia, too, or is it another symptom of your persistent 'let us help everybody' attitude?"

The inquisitor blushed slightly. "The killiks were a valid concern, and should I have allowed those Rist strike teams to poison whomever they were after? And the young thranta with its broken wing… flipper… whatever…"

Her companion threw his hands up in surrender. "It wasn't meant as dispraise. Those jobs paid very well, with the exception of that flying beast."

"But it was cute." The young Sith frowned slightly, as she tried to remember where their conversation had started. "The snoring, though… I heard something on Tatooine, but wasn't sure if it was you, or one of the banthas."

"Well, thanks for the compliment." Andronikos lifted his eyebrows. "Pirate, sharpshooter, thief, liar and desert cow imitator, at your service. But no, as far as I know, I don't. Casey never complained, at least."

He looked away, and into the distance. Raven followed his gaze, over mountain tops and rain clouds, and knew that her companion was seeing pictures from the past instead.

"You might still be able to fix things between the two of you", she suggested, gently. "You parted on good terms, and the way she was talking about you…"

The pirate moved slightly, but the Sith wasn't sure if it was a twitch, or a shrug. "It was difficult even before the mutiny. Blast it, it was always difficult, right from the start. Cursing and throwing things and all that… I wasn't kidding, you know? Someone was bound to get hurt in the long run."

Revel sighed, and shook his head. "Perhaps some day, when we've become older, and hopefully wiser. Until then, you and I still have an artefact to find. But while we are busy discussing private lives – what about you? Didn't you want to try your luck with that oh-so-friendly Urtel guy? Don't suppose you and that Dashade are an item, right?"

Raven had tried to drink something from her water bottle, while the pirate spoke – 'tried' being the operative word. The mouthful of water landed everywhere but in her stomach, and she coughed until she was afraid that her whole lung might come up.

"That was a joke, right? With Khem, I mean? And this Sith guy…" The inquisitor shuddered, as she remembered the conversations in House Thul. Lady Elana Thul had been pleasant enough, but Urtel Moren had made her flesh creep. And not in any enjoyable way.

"He simply scared me. Did you look at his eyes? At his age, he has to be either really, really strong in the dark side of the Force to achieve such a shade of orange, or somebody with truly nasty habits. And I'm telling you, from what I felt through the Force, he isn't Darth material at all. He probably likes to skin kittens, though. Each time he looked at me, I was wondering whether he wanted to go rope skipping with my intestines."

Andronikos scratched his head. "It seemed to me as if Urtel was simply hitting on you."

With that image before her eyes, Raven cringed in earnest.

"Great. So first he plans to seduce me, and then to turn my limbs into gym equipment? I'll never set foot into this palace again."

She heard a quiet chuckle.

"Seems to me that Sith business is always weird business. Suppose you were right, though, Sith – Casey and I never actively tried to kill each other. That should count for something, at least."

Alderaan's sun had disappeared during their conversation, and the last hints of colour vanished behind more dark clouds. Raven was glad that the little hideout was rainproof. The sharpshooter and the assassin ate a late dinner and then got comfortable under their respective blankets, while their trusty pack animal, a nerf borrowed from House Thul, ruminated in the sheltered entrance to the cave.

If the light hadn't hinted that it was well past sunrise again, Raven could have sworn that she had just closed her eyes. Andronikos was already on his feet, though, and cursing. Loudly. Which was likely the reason that she'd woken up.

"Permission to shoot that spawn of a sewer on Hutta, Sith?"

It was entirely too early for Raven's brain to make sense of any of this.

"Hruua-wha?" she half-yawned, half-asked, and blinked, greeting the new day with very little enthusiasm.

"It's this blasted cross between a shaggy blanket and a garbage dump."

Shaggy blanket and garbage… Oh.

"You mean Fluffy? What's wrong?"

Andronikos turned, and a mix of fury, outrage, and reluctant amusement was visible on his face as he pointed at the nerf, which was laying comfortably in the drying grass and looked very content with itself and everything around it.

"Your dear hairy friend here ate our entire stock of rations during the night."

* * *

 _Alderaan, House Rist, 6 BEA_

"Can I offer you another drink, my dear?"

Raven burped softly, and promptly blushed. "No, thanks. But if you've got more of those pastries… Those are really delicious!"

Rehanna smiled, and suddenly seemed to be at least ten years younger. Another tablet appeared out of nowhere, and the Sith took it for what it was – a challenge. Andronikos, on the other hand, opted for the drink. Whatever that liquid was which Lady Rist passed him, it made Raven's nose hairs melt.

"Corellian brandy, more than 40 years old. It was meant for the wedding, but as you are now aware, that never really happened. Stupid man…"

The old assassin helped herself to a generous drink, too, and chowed down one of the pastries as well.

"Damned right stupid! He never deserved you." The pirate's speech was still quite articulate for the number of glasses he'd already emptied, but his opinion of Lady Rist had risen with every sip.

"Kind of you to say, Mr. Revel, but you are a little too young for my taste."

Rehanna stared into her own glass for one moment, then looked up again and held Raven's gaze effortlessly.

"But let me sum this up again. You come here, knock out my guards, then talk to me about old times… And now you suggest that I call Nomar Organa here, to our old meeting place, so I can get closure, and you can plant a tracker onto him to somehow follow that high-and-mighty Jedi-ness and steal a kind of artefact from him? Without hurting him?"

She shook her head, and emptied her drink. "No. Still doesn't make more sense. Why would you even tell me all this? Don't get me wrong, I'm inclined to believe you. I have survived Alderaanian politics for nearly half a century now, and can usually tell if somebody is lying. It's just madness to simply come here and admit all this, freely."

Raven tilted her head and watched the noble, while angling for another biscuit. "Well, I would have come for the food, too, had I known about your skills in baking. Besides, it worked, didn't it? You already agreed, and I don't think you're lying, either."

Rehanna snorted, a decidedly unladylike sound. "Can't deny that you are right, but it still doesn't make any sense at all."

The young Sith watched as Lady Risk looked at the pirate, while Andronikos only shrugged.

"Don't ask me how she survived this long", he answered the unspoken question. "From what I have seen, she's always like that. I'd guess that her parents were saints, or animal shelter activists… It's like the whole galaxy is so embarrassed by her strange behaviour, that even the most hardened killer would rather invite her for dinner than slit her throat. Similar to watching a space accident, just with less blood – you can't help but watch and try to guess what crazy thing she's going to do next. And you're likely to guess wrong, because she always finds something more insane than you could ever have imagined."

Even with her stomach full of cake, Raven's indignation rose.

"In case you forgot, I'm sitting right here", she complained, but couldn't really bring herself to rise her voice. Andronikos, in turn, only laughed.

"Sure I know, that's why I'm saying it", he answered, and grasped at another pastry.

* * *

 _Alderaan, Elysium's Shuttle Pad, 6 BEA_

"Did it ever occur to you that Lady Rist could just have tried to poison us?"

Raven frowned slightly as she departed the small vehicle; she sensed Jedi nearby, quite a lot of them, and tried to calm down her emotions to hide her presence. Two vaults, two objectives, but only one key – the young Sith really hoped that her training in security and slicing, which she had started what felt like an eternity ago with the Chiss, was up to the challenge.

Well, if not, there was always lightning. Those walls couldn't be completely Force proof, after all.

Urtel hadn't been, either. The inquisitor vividly remembered the picture of his broken body in the Organa Jedi stronghold. She'd been too late to save Lady Thul's Sith team, but she'd stopped the Jedi from threatening her allies ever again. And so Elana had rewarded her service with the key to her very own vault in the Elysium.

Trying to banish these thoughts, Raven concentrated on Andronikos' question.

"My data pad's sensors were scanning all the time", she answered. "And I didn't feel deceit from her. But it may have been a little naive, yes. Still, it worked."

The inquisitor shook her head as she recalled listening in to Rehanna's conversation with Jedi Nomar Organa from the shadows. She still wondered how he'd managed to slip past the armada of killiks without getting eaten. Lady Rist and herself could sidestep the bugs in their sleep, but that Jedi had been a knight, not a consular. Subtlety wasn't one of his strengths. Neither was reliability, honesty, or anything else of the things Raven usually associated with the warriors of the light. And his very voice and self-righteousness had gotten under her skin.

"I wonder if he understood all the words and idioms she was using. The Huttese curses were probably too difficult for him… Anyway, I think he finally got the idea that he did upset the lady quite a bit back then, 23 years ago."

The inquisitor smiled. "And she even made him check on the artefact, without raising his suspicions. Never underestimate an old assassin…"

Next to her, the pirate chuckled.

"I don't know", he answered, "I wouldn't underestimate a young assassin, either."

* * *

 _Alderaan, Elysium_ _Vaults_ _, 6 BEA_

Another keystroke, and the console's lights turned green. Breathing in relief, Raven straightened again, just to notice that Andronikos was frowning.

"Almost too easy, don't you think, Sith? If this is the high-security treasury of the whole blasted planet, shouldn't their encryption protocols offer at least a minimum of resistance?"

The young Sith scratched her head. "Come on, I needed more than five minutes to crack this thing. That's more than 'minimum resistance', I'd say. Besides, don't look a borrowed bantha into the mouth."

The two companions entered the vault, turned around a corner, and stopped dead in their tracks. A figure blocked their path. Brown hair, brown eyes. Brown Jedi robes. And a posture that spoke of thinly-veiled arrogance.

Nomar Organa.

"Surprised to find me here, Sith? Don't be."

Raven clenched her teeth – the Jedi's voice was still as insufferably snobbish as before. Behind her, she heard a snort.

"Typical. Next time, Sith, I am going to scan and x-ray all your banthas from nose to tail, borrowed or otherwise."

Organa ignored Andronikos, and continued in the same voice as before. The inquisitor wondered how often he had practised his lines.

"That was a nice trick you played on Rehanna, but there is no way a Jedi would fall for the dark manipulations of your kind. I simply indulged your game until I was better prepared to face you. When you manipulate people's emotions to your ends, you only prove the Jedi philosophy. The Jedi are elevated by higher things than emotion – by peace and justice..."

"As if you'd know anything about those", Raven growled. "You weren't so bad as a teenager, I suppose, when you were still able to feel love. But when your Jedi bosses coughed, you turned tail at once, betrayed what you felt for fear of repercussions, broke the heart of the woman who adored you, and hid behind platitudes ever since. I have more light than you'll ever have, and I am not afraid of my emotions. But you are. There is no peace in your heart because of this, and there was no justice in making Rehanna suffer for decades, either."

There was no visible reaction at all at the name of his former lover, which made the inquisitor wonder whether Nomar had indeed ever felt anything deep for Lady Rist. Raven was glad that the older assassin had finally started to work through her grief; she'd be alright again if given time.

"It is not for a Jedi to let his thoughts be clouded by emotion..."

With his last words, the world around them turned golden. A warm wind engulfed the young Sith, playing gently through her hair, and bright light exploded in a myriad gleaming swirls. Raven closed her eyes out of reflex, partly blinded, and when she opened them again, there was another figure standing right next to the Organa Jedi. The golden light contracted, condensed, and formed the shape of a young woman. Then the energy vanished, but some of it still seemed to be stuck in her shiny, dark-blonde hair. And her eyes... Raven remembered three occasions where she had seen that precise shade of gold before. Once, a long time ago, in a tomb on Korriban, in grave light flames which had been dark blue only a second before. Then, back on Nar Shaddaa, mirrored in the Strell House's reflecting walls. And, finally, just a short time ago on Tatooine, when a whole desert had gazed back into her – and winked.

It seemed that the young Sith had finally found her mysterious pursuer. And of course it just had to be a Jedi. If the lightsaber at the woman's side hadn't been an indication, the pure amount of Force energy the newcomer radiated would have been proof enough.

Raven knew that she was staring, but she couldn't help it. There was something about the young Jedi, some strange air of familiarity, even though the Sith would have sworn that she'd never seen her before. The robed woman held her gaze, and a smile started to play around her features. It wasn't an ironic grin, though, but an honest smile, which seemed to light her face up again with a faint, golden shine.

Andronikos was the first to regain his senses. Switching his blasters from one target to the other and back again, he only shook his head. "If that's the new generation of the Order, dammit, then sign me up for a job on Tython."

"Emissary? What are you doing here?"

Wonderful. Apparently, Nomar Organa knew the other Jedi, and worse, she wasn't an ordinary fighter for the light side, but had a more prominent role in the order. What those diplomats lacked in combat training, they usually more than made up for in sheer Force strength. Still, it was a double-bladed lightsaber which Raven had spotted at her side; those weapons were usually wielded by Jedi Consulars who could really make use of their destructive potential.

The young woman had all but ignored both the pirate and the Jedi, and was still fixating the assassin before her. But now, she drew her lightsaber in one single, fluent move.

"Moira", she said, no, declared, with more than just a hint of satisfaction and warmth in her voice, and turned on the spot, lifted her arm like a dancer – and hit the Jedi next to her with her weapon's hilt directly over his head. As Nomar Organa fell to the ground, knocked out cold, the consular had already put away her saber again.

"Moira", the Jedi repeated, and spread her arms, as if she wanted to come over and hug her. Raven wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, or if her opponent was simply mental, but something wasn't quite right here.

"Er..."

The young consular frowned slightly, which didn't anything to diminish her beauty. Ironic, really; those features were simply wasted on a Jedi.

"Of course you wouldn't remember me. Moira, please, I'm not your enemy."

Something in her posture, her voice, her whole sincere aura made Raven hesitate as she grasped her own lightsaber.

"I am Raven Kallig", she repeated what she'd already told the Dune Sea on Tatooine, but with a lot more curiosity than annoyance. Whatever the Jedi's story was, it had to be quite interesting. The consular, however, shook her head so hard that her golden hair was flying around her like a shining halo.

"Maybe that is who you have become", she answered, "but in truth, you are Moira Kell, daughter of Victoria Kell. I know that you suffered through slavery, but you were not born one. You had another family, once, a father, a mother... and you still have got a sister."

The Jedi lifted her hand, and Andronikos slumped down, tricked by the powers of the Force. Raven wanted to ignite her weapon, to fight the light-side agent who had played on her gullibility, but somehow, she couldn't move; bound in a net of golden light, she could only grimace as the young Jedi walked over and grasped her shoulders. Now, with her face just inches before her own, Raven had to admit that there was more than just a small hint of family resemblance in her features; her own face was marred by the scars she'd earned by fighting on Ziost. But if the Sith tried to imagine how she'd look without them, the result would be quite similar to the young woman before here, who was just tightening her grip.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, Moira. I would laugh into my face if I was in your place. But please, take this disk; it contains what files I could pull out of the Imperial and Republic archives on our parents. And, here..."

Three golden hairs found their way onto the data disk's cask.

"… I suppose you won't even look at that data without being able to run a DNA check first. I have also included a holo frequency. When – if – you have verified the basics, Moira, then please, let us talk. I haven't searched you for years, just to lose you now to mutual mistrust, or this almost-galactic war that is in the making."

The Jedi released her shoulders, and disappeared, only to reappear directly over the fallen Organa Jedi. She seized Nomar quite roughly at his collar, and flashed Raven another smile.

"Sorry for that, by the way. Nomar's an idiot fool, and a coward. Some of us are different, though."

Raven felt the energy which held her diminish, and knew that the consular was about to phase again, this time away from her and the whole Elysium.

"Wait", she spoke, as she regained control of her voice, and the Jedi hesitated for a second. "Crazy or not, I'm not sure yet, but what is your name, Jedi?"

The smile was back on the consular's face. Raven got the impression that the young woman before her did that a lot.

"Lea", she answered, and some aspect of this name echoed through the young Sith, finding a resonance in memories so old that she'd forgotten having them in the first place. "My name is Lea."

And with that, the other woman vanished in a stream of golden energy, taking away Nomar with her, and leaving Raven free to claim the artefact she had been searching – and with a thousand questions to ponder.

Next to her, Andronikos slowly got back to his feet. "If you want my opinion, Sith, then this crackpot is telling the truth. That Jedi is as insane as you – it just has to be partly genetic."

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 6 BEA_

The familiar red lights of the Imperial Citadel greeted Raven, as she approached the Sith Sanctum. She still didn't appreciate this sight, though. Khem and Andronikos had left her minutes ago – the pirate wanted to check the markets, while the Dashade needed to get some of his pent-up aggression out of his system. The young Sith pitied any beast that would cross his path.

After presenting the fifth and final artefact to her master, the inquisitor used the opportunity to spend some time in Zash's huge library again. There were some new volumes here, even rarer than the other tomes which the Darth treasured, and Raven took care not to damage any of them. But the knowledge she was seeking today couldn't be found in the older books. The young Sith sighed, and turned to the more modern parts of the library. About twenty years ago, there might have been two people somewhere in the galaxy whom she could have called 'parents'. Well, Raven was reasonably sure that, at least at the time of her birth, her mother had indeed still been around, and she'd almost certainly also had a father, too – cloning wasn't that common. But if the crazy Jedi was right, then these two people hadn't just been anybody. And certainly no animal shelter activists, either. According to the data disk, both of them had been Sith. Darths, in fact. And, worse, even on the Dark Council for some time. That fact had bothered Raven more than she'd liked to admit.

It had been night when she'd summoned enough courage to finally touch the data from the Jedi girl, and she'd been glad that her quarters were soundproof, for she couldn't have suppressed the hysterical fit of laughter even if she'd tried. Apparently, her parents had virtually ruled over a huge kingdom, complete with large woods, and high trees. They would also have been quite able to supply their offspring with all kinds of colourful robes. And they most certainly had fought their share of battles, and had obviously been quite busy during their time. But Raven doubted that there had been anything remotely resembling a silver hare on Dromund Kaas, ever. And if she'd ever been certain about one fact, then it was this: There was no love among Sith. Passion, yes, but nothing more. Only darkness ruled that special kingdom. Zash might be slightly different, with her friendliness and support, but master-student relationships were likely the only type of stable interaction patterns possible between Sith. For parents and children, the best case scenario appeared to be shipping the offspring to Korriban as soon as possible. Alternatives were... less pleasant. The young inquisitor had read much about Darth Jadus, and his daughter, Darth Zhorrid, since the younger Darth was roughly her age, and her story had caught the young assassin's interest. If she'd avoided Zhorrid's fate, she might even owe the slavers who had caught her a debt of gratitude – as sickening as this might sound.

* * *

"Master? Is there any other task you wish me to perform right now?"

Raven had carefully peaked into Zash's meditation chamber, ready to sneak out again to not disturb the Darth if she was meditating. But the older Sith was just sitting at her desk, chin cupped in her hand, and watching a lone candle burn away the darkness in the room. As the flame danced up and down, the young inquisitor was quite positive to detect something akin to melancholy in Zash's expression. But whatever had been on the Darth's mind got buried again, as the older Sith turned her head in greeting.

"My most marvellous apprentice", she smiled, and the shadows disappeared from her face for a moment. "You never rest, do you? Always eager to do your part..."

A hint of a smile remained, but darker lines crept back to Zash's face, making her look considerably older. And the impression of wistfulness returned, stronger than before, paired with something else.

Grief, maybe?

Raven bowed deeply, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Is there something wrong, master?" she asked, concerned. "Can I help you with anything?"

Darth Zash flinched slightly, and averted her gaze.

"No, but thanks for asking", she remarked kindly. Then she sighed, a sound that seemed to echo through the whole room.

"Apprentice? Have you ever asked yourself whether the choices you have made were really the best ones? Have you ever found yourself balancing along a razor's edge, knowing that you'll fall eventually, with only the side of the razor's blade left to choose?"

The young Sith frowned. That sounded worse than the average fit of self-doubt. Besides, she doubted that Darths suffered from those.

"I usually try to think thoroughly about each of my choices", she answered carefully. "Even if one turns out to be wrong in the end, I know that I have done my best, and to the best of my knowledge, and that I've nothing to regret. But if you find yourself walking along a thin bridge, with only darkness visible in each direction, and you know that you'll have to dive eventually – why not jump up, and see if you can fly?"

There was no mistaking the expression of sorrow on the Darth's face now.

"Perhaps the darkness below is too alluring", she answered, and shook her head, as if to banish and expel whatever ghosts were haunting her. Then Zash smiled again, her usual friendly demeanour firmly back into place.

"Right now I don't need anything, my apprentice. I still have some research to do on the artefacts, and the ritual. Get some sleep, and enjoy a small holiday while you can. I'll summon you soon enough when it is time."

* * *

 _Nar Shaddaa, Hutt Laboratory, 6 BEA_

 _Genetic match coefficient: Very high._

 _Likelihood of relation between subjects: Very high._

Closing her eyes for a moment, Raven massaged her forehead. She didn't need to check the more detailed analysis results, didn't really need the short summary of the DNA analyser as confirmation at all – just seeing the face of the young Jedi on Alderaan had been enough to make her believe, deep down, in the seemingly impossible claim of the young woman with the golden hair. She just didn't quite know what to do with the new knowledge.

Aside from being horrified at the mere thought of her parents, the inquisitor now suddenly found herself having a sibling. Dark side mother and father weren't so much of a real and tangible problem, though; to the best of her knowledge, both had been dead for decades. And ghosts didn't frighten the young Sith. But her sister was real enough.

And a Jedi, which should have equalled 'mortal enemy'. Only that Lea didn't seem to give a bantha's ear about it. The memory of Nomar Organa going down with the bruise of the century on his head still gave a warm feeling to Raven's stomach.

Evidence-based deduction. Logic. The young inquisitor found solace in the cool calculus of reason. While an elaborate ruse was not impossible, chances were high that the Jedi really was her sister. She'd checked quite a number of documents in the Imperial Citadel, and they fit with the Jedi's story and information. There had been a Victoria Kell, once, and also a Moira, and Lea. While the name of her supposed mother meant nothing to Raven, she couldn't deny that the young consular was the living image of the deceased Darth. There had been quite a number of recordings in the archives, and the Republic couldn't have possibly manipulated them all. She hadn't been able to find a clear picture of her father's face, but hadn't searched thoroughly, either – what did it matter which side of the family was responsible for her own eye colour?

And if Lea was a clone, or even herself, for that matter, it wouldn't make a difference. The Republic, or anyone, really, wouldn't have anything to gain from such a deception; it wasn't like they would inherit their parents' seats on the Dark Council, after all. Spending the resources for cloning to give one or two Sith who might recognize their faces a headache just didn't make sense, so Raven ruled out that possibility.

Whatever had happened, 20 years ago, wasn't as important as what would happen now. Somehow, Lea had ended up with the Jedi, while she herself had become a Sith apprentice. And that meant that her sister was likely a Republic agent, trying to worm her way past her own personal defences, to gain information and manipulate her to the Jedi's benefit. Sure, it was a pretty obvious move, but with the whole family business and emotional baggage, the Republic SIS must have deemed it worth a try. It might work both ways, though. While trying to win her trust, the Jedi might offer her valuable information, too – Raven made a mental note to talk to Darth Zash at the next opportunity.

For now, though, she had other concerns. The spirit of her long-dead ancestor, Lord Kallig, had visited the young Sith again. Raven had ignored his nebulous warnings about her master's potential plotting for now, but the lead on the Lord's old lightsaber was interesting enough. Raven treasured her own master's old saber, which she'd gotten as a gift from Zash, but it never hurt to have a high-quality back-up.

* * *

 _Nar Shaddaa, Industrial Sector, 6 BEA_

Raven pulled her lightsaber out of the corpse of yet another thug, and tried to ignore Khem's sniffing behind her. None of the mercenaries in Gyl Rosen's employ was even remotely Force sensitive, but the Shadow Killer still seemed to hope for a surprise snack. After Khem had told her to eat and drink at one of the casinos, as he wanted her to be fully sated once he devoured her, the young Sith had decided to put him on a diet. There were a number of things the inquisitor took personally, and being treated like a sandwich was one of them.

Talking to idiots was another thing she disliked. Raven squinted her eyes and wondered if Rosen was blind, deaf, and stupid, or simply suicidal.

"Look, I am standing here with Nar Shaddaa's toughest mercenaries. Guys that make the Sith look like schoolteachers. So what I'm thinking is, you're going to listen to me. That's what I'm thinking."

Raven wondered how much pain his single brain cell was in from all this supposed 'thinking'. It had to be a lot.

"Here's what I propose: I give you the lightsaber, and you come work for me as my own personal Sith. That, or you pay me three million credits."

The young Sith lifted one eyebrow.

"Hard to believe", she yawned, "but you're actually dumber than you look."

Rosen's face turned an interesting shade of scarlet no natural rose could have hoped to achieve.

"All right, then!" he shouted, allowing Raven a detailed view of his tonsils. "You made your choice. Boys, kill the Sith!"

It took the inquisitor about one single glance to the thugs in question to know that they wouldn't even try. Some words of encouragement later, Rosen's men were running out of the room, while their former leader was dangling in the air from a little Force field, screaming in panic, and begging for his life. Raven made him give up the lightsaber case and promise to clear her ancestor's servant's descendant's debt, trying not to get a headache from all the relationships between people she barely knew herself. But it had been worth it, she thought, when she saw Mila Escalus' face lit up with hope.

The Force had freed the former servant.

Not willing to deal with her especially morose monster more than she had to for now, Raven sent Khem Val back to her starship. She spent the rest of the day eating and drinking herself through the Star Cluster Casino's menu, while watching Andronikos gamble with his salary from last week.

But she brought back a spiced tauntaun hip for Khem from one of the markets, once her rage had subsided again, and didn't hear him complain once during the whole evening. If the Sith's ears hadn't deceived her, she'd even gotten a 'thank you' as reward. Maybe the Dashade had realized that he'd gone a bit too far while venting his frustrations this time.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Imperial Citadel, 6 BEA_

"A word if you please, young one."

Raven whirled around and nearly forgot to bow in surprise; after speaking to Darth Thanaton just an hour before, she'd considered the chances of running into yet another Darth to be pretty low. That excluded Darth Zash, of course, since her master had just summoned her to the Dark Temple. But there he was, with his red pureblood skin, metallic ornaments, and a smile that was always just a tad too knowing – Darth Vowrawn.

Despite his polite phrasing, there was only one possible answer. The young Sith nodded, mutely, not wanting to upset the Dark Councillor accidentally, or reminding him of the exploding furniture incident back on Korriban, and followed him to the entrance of his own Sphere's halls. There, the pureblooded Sith picked up a small holo. It showed a heavily-armoured man with a severe case of battle scars and general ugliness.

"As you are venturing into the Dark Temple again, perhaps there is a small errand you could do for me. There is a renegade Mandalorian bounty hunter, named Valen Korik, who is wanted for the murder of two Sith Lords; he fled into the temple. If you bring him to justice, by which I mean 'kill him however you see fit', then I have a nice little reward waiting for you right here."

Raven just stared at the Dark Councillor.

"What makes you think I'm going into the temple in the first place?" she blurted out, and then stopped herself, shocked, half-expecting to be Force-choked. But Vowrawn only smiled.

"Why, I hacked a communication line, of course", he chuckled, unconcerned. "And not even one of yours, I must say. I just decided to... ah... 'check in' on my dear friend Darth Thanaton, and he in turn was spying on your master. Welcome to the wonderful world of Sith politics!"

Once before, the young Sith had wondered whether the Darth was completely insane. It seemed she hadn't been so wrong, after all.

"Even if it's true, why tell me?" she asked, deciding to test her luck. "Thanaton won't be pleased..."

Vowrawn shook his head. "No, he wouldn't. That's why I'm telling you this here, where there are no witnesses, and where all security cameras have been carefully manipulated by none other than myself. You can, of course, go and tell Thanaton or Zash, but I would caution you against it. Neither of them has your best interests in mind. Sure, I don't have, either, but right now, I'm just a spectator at the side lines, in for nothing but my own amusement, while trying not to get burned in the process. Those two have some more... direct concerns, I'm afraid."

Blue eyes met red ones, and Raven got the feeling that this wasn't everything. But what else could possibly interest a Darth...

He'd shown a certain interest in her fate even back on Ziost.

 _Fiery spirit._

Like her mother, Darth Ignus, who had also been known as 'Korriban's Flame'.

 _It's always good to know who you are, don't you think?_

When had Vowrawn ascended to the Dark Council? Raven could have sworn that he'd held the position for a whole number of decades. More than two, at least. And this meant that he had once worked alongside her parents.

Just thinking that last, single word made her head hurt severely.

Trying to leave her face as blank as possible, the inquisitor wondered about the best way to end this conversation. How did one check the relationships between Sith years ago, especially when the majority of those involved were already dead?

"Well, you could just ask. But it wouldn't do you any good unless to could trust whomever you'd choose to question, and that's the critical part, isn't it?"

Vowrawn grinned and blinked, and Raven felt all blood leave her face. So that was the source of her headache, just seconds ago... The Dark Councillor had read her mind.

Oh dear.

"I believe there's a temple waiting for you, right, Raven?"

The pureblood continued to smile, and suddenly appeared to be as dangerous and enigmatic as the very building he had just mentioned. "But take some advise, and one explanation, before you go. Learn to close your mind, and be careful. Sith interests are complicated. And, yes, I owe it to somebody. Now, hurry along, if you are prepared. Your master won't be pleased if you delay; she hasn't got much time left."

* * *

 _ _Dromund Kaas_ _,_ _Dark Temple_ _,_ _6_ _B_ _EA__

The first thing Raven noticed when she entered the innermost chamber of the Dark Temple was the unnatural cold. When she'd been at the temple months ago, no, nearly a year ago by now, it had been unpleasant, too, but now there was a new undercurrent of something… sinister in the atmosphere. Dark blue mist curled from ancient stone braziers, and a weird angular chandelier-like structure adorned the ceiling. The young Sith made sure not to step directly under it; there was something ominous in the way the shadows flowed around its edges.

And the whispering… always the whispering. Long dead Sith, hissing to each other, in voices and tongues long forgotten, too quiet to make any sense of it, yet too loud to be ignored. Raven felt goose bumps start to cover her skin, and hurried forward, eager for some more human company. Before her, just up some antique stairs, stood Darth Zash. The young inquisitor smiled in greeting, but felt her muscles freeze at the same moment. It wasn't just that Zash refused to turn towards her, or that she'd exchanged her usual red robes for some black silk getup – whatever had tainted the air in the temple's antechambers also seemed to reside in its dark heart. And it got stronger with every step that Raven took towards her master.

"Such marvellous power radiates from you now. Clear. Strong. You have truly come into your own."

The young inquisitor relaxed at the sound of Zash's voice. That, at least, was still the same, despite the strangeness around – still full of the warmth Raven had come to associate with the older Darth. A small smile dared to appear on her face, and the young Sith chuckled when she realized that she'd almost got scared of some old bones and eerie winds.

"You possess great power, certainly, but the teachings of Korriban seem to have had scant influence on you. How many times did you have the option to expand your power and yet stayed your hand? Do you really know what it means to be Sith?"

Raven heard disapproval, but also curiosity colour the tone of her master. But she was prepared, had been for quite some time. She'd been afraid to be confronted with her more merciful decisions for months now, actually.

"Like the Sith code says, my chains are broken", she answered calmly. "I can choose my own path."

Zash still didn't make a move, and Raven was still staring at the back of her black robe. Slowly, the unease started to creep back into the young Sith's bones.

"Indeed it does. But what worth does this freedom have if you don't use it?"

Her master sighed, but did not turn.

"I've arranged for you to receive the title of Lord of the Sith. I hope you realize what an honour and responsibility it is."

A lord? After that introduction, Raven had been half-afraid of a severe rebuke by her master. She certainly hadn't expected a promotion.

"But there is still the ritual to undergo…"

The young Sith's brain didn't register a single word that followed, as Zash finally turned, and lifted her hood. Her gaze was fixed, mesmerized even, on and by the revelation of her master's true face. Yellow, corpse-like eyes beyond the usual shades of dark side corruption stared at her out of a wrinkled face that could very well have belonged to the average mummy from the Tarisian catacombs. Dry blotchy skin strained over hollow cheekbones, terribly akin to the Correlian death day masks, and her hair had lost its youthful shade of blonde, glittering now in an almost spectral, pale white.

Khem had once stated that the witch reeked of death. Raven swore to herself to never underestimate his senses again.

"… I am dying, my apprentice."

"Is there nothing I can do to help?" the young Sith asked, reflex overriding her shock. Her master had earned her compassion and support, not contempt due to her looks, after all.

Zash's face lit up with a smile that could only be described as haunting.

"You've already done more than you realize, apprentice. You will allow me to live on. We will accomplish so much once I am in command of that wonderful vessel of yours. Just hold still."

 _What?_

Self-preservation screamed in Raven's mind, but a mix of deadly surprise and hostile Force power held her in place, sapping her strength as well as her will to fight. She tried to reach for her lightsaber, grasped for the Force herself, but to no avail. A groan behind the young Sith told her that Khem wasn't faring much better; the Dashade was all but paralysed as well. The demon figure that had once been her master closed in, still with that damnable grin of death on her skull-like visage, lifted her bony hands towards her…

The whole floor shook in what must have been quite an explosion. Surprised, Zash jumped back, and the spell was broken. Raven didn't need more encouragement. Her lightsaber was out and ignited in a heartbeat, and she shielded her faithful Dashade as well as her own mind, as both of them approached her former master.

 _You were supposed to be different! I believed that you of all Sith would be different… I needed to believe that Sith could be different._

Raven didn't speak those words, but they still sounded in every hum of her lightsaber, in each and every strike. It seemed that there was no friendship, no trust possible between Sith, after all. Only deceit, betrayal, and death.

Even with the distraction that had saved her at the beginning of the fight, and Khem's invaluable help after that, the young inquisitor almost didn't make it. She nearly had Zash down on her bony knees, but in a last stand conjuration of Force power, the dark sorceress managed to break through her defences again. Raven felt her body hit old stones, and flew through the air again, this time lifted by ice-cold energy that immobilized her even more thoroughly. She saw lightning, and then something grey, flying – and the world turned black.

But it didn't stay that way. Groaning, the young inquisitor sat up, and checked whether she was still herself. Her hands looked good, the rest of her body, too, at least from what she could see, and her mind was still her own as well. Or so she guessed; Raven couldn't really picture a body-stealing Darth whose first concern would be finding a blasted toilet.

The young Sith blamed it on the shock, and stress.

Her relief at seeing Zash's corpse on the ground was short-lived, however, when the voice of her late master called to her from the body of her Dashade. Apparently, Khem had interrupted the Darth's ritual at the last possible moment, and paid a severe price for the rescue. But when the voice of her morose monster spoke again, and Raven realized that she hadn't yet lost him to her former master, she threw caution in the wind and hugged Khem, once, promising that she would find a way to rid him of the dark spirit that now co-inhabited his body.

Finally, a whole number of Zash's followers appeared. The explosion that had distracted Zash had been a part of an attack by Imperial forces on the temple; apparently, some of the military leaders in Kaas City had deemed that it was time to end the mad menace once and for all. In their wake, those young apprentices had entered the dusty halls as well. The young Sith marvelled at the ingenuity with which the Darth had acted; telling her other apprentices that she herself would sacrifice her life so that 'Raven' could lead the Sith to new glory was a brilliant move. Still, it hadn't saved the scheming master.

Sometimes, rarely, one could experience this thing called 'classic reversal of fortunes'.


	15. Colicoid War Games

__Colla IV,_ _Weapons Testing Range_ _, 29 BEA__

"Dear Darth Serpentis! Greetings from the Inner Rim."

Victoria paused for a second and turned her improvised pen in her hand, thinking hard on what to write. The metallic surface before her blinked mockingly, indicating that eight words alone wouldn't suffice to fulfil her objective. The young Sith sighed, ducked her head out of reflex as something moved past her, and started to channel some Force energy into her pseudo-quill again. It was nothing but a piece of scrap metal, really, but with some added power to heat its tip, one could use it to melt letters into a scavenged and flattened chassis part without problems.

A _satisfactory_ solution, so to speak.

"This holiday resort here is kind of interesting...", she wrote, and threw herself fully to the ground, as blaster bolts missed her head by inches.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"I am profoundly sorry, master", the familiar voice of SP-02 answered over the cacophony around them. "Those chitin yet-breathers are extraordinarily persistent."

"Yes, I've noticed. Just burn them all."

Victoria angled for her pen and continued with her inscription.

"… and the weather is not so bad."

Molten metal rained down on her, and only ingrained training allowed the assassin to reflect it with the Force in time to prevent herself from becoming a barbecue. Annoyed, Victoria jumped up, and shot a stream of burning Force energy at the three opponents in range. The fire engulfed the insects, made their carapaces crack, and stopped them dead in their tracks. Literally.

"Fine dissecting, master!"

The young Sith sighed again, bored. She felt no compassion with these bugs; the Colicoids didn't place any value on an individual's life, so why should she? Completely emotionless, but murderous and ruthless – if not for their lack of feelings and individual ambition, they'd have made excellent Sith. Victoria shook her head, sure that she'd never understand a hive's psychology.

"The locals aren't as courteous as I'd have liked, but I'm sure we'll all be friends in no time."

Rereading her work, the Sith assassin nodded. This was certainly a good start. Looking for further inspiration, Victoria checked her surroundings, only to see a new wave of bugs and robots dig themselves up out of the sandy patches of dirt that were visible between larger rocks. Eager to take part in the fun herself, the assassin allowed her bottled-up fury an outlet. Lightning arched, its white-blue energy an endearing contrast to the brown and red earth colours of the landscape, and four of the insect-shaped droids went down as high-tech junk. She'd hit two of the bugs as well, and felt the minor shift in the Force at their destruction, but there was no satisfaction in a kill when the opponents just didn't care about it. Fighting without being able to inspire terror in her enemies' hearts was like dismantling training droids – one could do it if there was no other option to keep fit, but it left a stale taste in one's mouth.

Stupid insects.

Victoria grasped her pen again, ready to continue, when her holocom chimed. She activated the little device, curious who might be calling her, and jumped up in shock when a well-known heavily-armoured outline appeared on the 3D screen.

Fortis. The young Sith hadn't seen the Darth since their near-disaster mission to Kaon City – she'd been busy running some errands for her master, and from what Serpentis had told her, the moving piece of charcoal had spent his time journeying through the galaxy and conquering some planets for the Empire. Business as usual.

The assassin clenched her teeth, trying to pretend that her stomach didn't start to feel funny all of a sudden. She'd refused to contemplate more closely on what in the galaxy had made her throw herself into the rakghouls' maws in the first place, and she'd ruined a complete room's furniture with an electric overload when Serpentis had carefully approached the topic. The old Darth hadn't tried to prod afterwards.

Hectically, Victoria tried to straighten her hair with her hands, suddenly self-conscious. The continuing sand and shrapnel mix had probably not been kind to her complexion, either...

"Lord Kell. It is time for the Sith to live up to their responsi..."

Fortis interrupted himself, as a part of a droid's chassis flew through the camera's field of vision; Victoria had just managed to take cover in time to get herself out of harm's way. Tilting his head slightly, the young assassin felt the Darth's attention through the infinite dimensions of space.

"Kell, what was that?"

Trying for a pleasant smile, but slipping into an insane grin regardless, Victoria pondered on what to answer.

"Scenery?" she tried, and winced slightly, as the Darth before her shook his head.

"Apparently. Where are you, and what are you doing?"

Even through the communication line, and with all the sounds of battle in the background, the echoes of dark tomb halls were clearly audible within Fortis' voice. Victoria breathed deeply, while ignoring the little pang of disappointment that crept into her soul. On Kaon, exhaustion and hours of continued battle against impossible odds had somehow made her brother-in-arms appear more... human, for lack of a better word. It seemed that Fortis was now completely back in is usual matter-of-fact dark conqueror mode.

"Well, that's easy", Victoria retorted, "I am on Colla IV and try to enjoy a holiday."

The black figure didn't seem to be satisfied with this answer.

"Your hair is smoking."

Uh... Not good. Definitely not good. Swiftly, the assassin tried to quench the glowing strands with the Force, grinning sheepishly into the unmoving, black mask.

"Special heat treatment at a health resort?"

"Kell..."

It was always astounding to hear the sheer amount of dark threats of doom Fortis could put into one syllable, and that probably without any conscious effort. Perhaps it was time to cut the antics.

"Well, as I said, I am on Colla IV. Right now, I am sitting on the ground on the most comfortable patch of dirt visible, surrounded by four of my droids which control an automated turret each, and try to write a postcard. By the way, how do you spell 'insecticides'?"

"Insecticides?"

Victoria frowned. Was there something wrong with the audio?

"Insecticides", she confirmed. "I think it's with 'c' in the middle, right?"

The only sounds audible were the soft rustling of distant leaves in a slight breeze, and the creaking of the turrets as her SP droids searched for new targets.

"Lord Victoria Kell. Are you trying to tell me that you have entered the Colicoid 'War Games' challenge?"

Neither pleased at the use of her full name, nor by his tone in general, Victoria showed her teeth in a non-verbal warning.

"I am here on my master's orders", she growled, and tried to stay civil for some seconds longer. "If you have a problem with that, take it up with her."

"Your _master_ ordered you to take part in this demeaning spectacle?"

Fortis' tone had dropped into the deadly, cold abysses of incredulous disbelief. Torn between anger and caution, the young Sith opted for truth.

"Well, she told me I could either clean her quarters with my personal toothbrush, or complete the Colicoids' challenge and write her a postcard while doing so."

Victoria could almost feel Fortis' rising headache through half of the universe, or wherever he currently was.

"Clean her quarters with your personal... Kell, what exactly did you do?"

The young Sith closed her eyes, not really happy about being forced to admit it, but not daring to refuse to answer, either. Fortis had sounded more pleasant while threatening to execute the rambling Kaon nobles, after all.

"Just what I promised her while redecorating her old armour for my personal use – I flooded her quarters on the Citadel with gundark dung."

Victoria shivered involuntarily; the wind must have been getting stronger without her notice. She was suddenly feeling very, very cold.

"So now you are sitting in a war zone and write", Fortis concluded in a tone that made deep space appear to be quite warm. "Kell, are you completely and utterly _drunk_?"

Sick of being on the defensive, Victoria felt her own temper rise.

"I am _trying_ to write, but keep getting distracted", she corrected. "And the last time I drank something was more than five hours ago, which means I'm as good as fully sober by now. As I said, Serpentis gave me a choice, and I picked the option that I liked better."

Were that icicles down there, at the rim of the holo?

"You _are_ insane."

The monotonous voice of 6K-A2, the Colicoid master control droid, interrupted whatever else Fortis had intended to say. After the displeased Darth, its voice was a pleasant diversion.

"Well done, organic. Despite your lack of a battle strategy, you are still alive. Stand by. I am initiating Challenge Level Pulsar. You are not expected to survive. Farewell."

The droid's voice was loud enough to carry through the holo line, which meant that Fortis had likely heard every word as well.

"We're not finished..."

"Later", Victoria hissed, and secured her improvised postcard. She might regret openly disobeying a Darth, but she'd definitely regret allowing herself to get distracted – twice as many Colicoids and droids appeared out of the dirt. The young Sith ignited her lightsaber and threw an arc of lightning at the nearest cluster of enemies, just as her own droids next to her started shooting again.

* * *

"The wildlife around here is quite fascinating, though."

Victoria ended the line on her postcard, and winced as SP-02 adjusted a kolto pad on her forearm. Serpentis' old armour had protected her from most of the incoming fire, but one of the enemy droids had been lucky enough to punch through her defences. They had still made it through the trial, but afterwards the young Sith had taken a breather to heal her wounds.

What had the master control unit commented again? Oh, yes. Victoria smiled grimly, as she recalled its words.

 _Your continued survival defies numerous calculations. Your competitors didn't make it this far._

Well, beating the odds had always been a speciality of hers. As if on cue, her holocom beeped again, and the young assassin could only hope that her luck would continue to hold.

"Let us proceed."

"Yes, I am fine, thanks for asking."

"Lord Kell. Seek the next available shuttle and get out of there. That is an or..."

 _Finally_. Fed up to the back teeth by the utter presumption with which Fortis tended to give her orders over comm, Victoria smiled a very happy smile.

"Unless you have replaced the Emperor, or killed my master while I wasn't watching, Fortis, my answer is 'no'."

The black mask remained unmoving on the screen, but the young Sith could feel the Darth's surprise. Not something she had sensed often, really.

"I do suppose that you have a compelling reason for this."

Fortis' voice had dropped to a new low, and the deepest depths of all Corellian or Chandrilan hells might not contain any winds howling with more menace than that conveyed in his last words. Still, Victoria knew that she had the upper hand. For once.

"As Serpentis was very careful to point out after the incident on the Black Talon: I am, of course, expected to obey any Dark Councillor, and probably also any Darth as well, unless I happen to be on a personal mission for my master, who happens to be on the Dark Council. And while Serpentis was shrieking almost beyond intelligibility while giving me this order, her intentions were still pretty clear. I just didn't want to sacrifice my toothbrush."

The young Sith frowned in surprise, as she felt something through the Force bond that continued to connect her to the dark figure. While it had weakened after Kaon, she had still sensed shadows of the black-armoured Darth's emotions through it when he was close by afterwards. Granted, that hadn't happened often, so Victoria was caught off guard at feeling... frustration. Not cold rage or something similar, but genuine, simple frustration. And trouble. Strange.

"Kell. Look up."

Filled with sudden dread at Fortis' unexpected change of topic, and his completely calm voice, Victoria lifted her gaze towards the sky.

Silvery-grey. Imperial grey. Angular silvery-grey Imperial ships, and lots of them.

A whole Imperial fleet had just entered the orbit around Colla IV, and the young assassin had an idea _who_ was standing on the bridge of the damned Terminus-class destroyer at its centre.

Unfortunately, her common sense and her survival instinct both picked up that precise moment to quit and take a long vacation.

"Seriously, Fortis, are you stalking me?"

"Lord Kell, I have..."

Victoria didn't care about what the Darth had to say, as her pent-up frustration searched for a way out and found it.

"You are not my master! And don't assume you have some other form of authority or control above me, either! Do you think I can't handle myself, or what? Or did you genuinely think you had to come and 'rescue' me?"

She fought the hint of disappointment that threatened to weave itself into her voice.

"Do you doubt my skills, or my judgement? Or did you truly believe that I ventured here only to make a show of defiance? I knew what I was getting into, and I was not drunk at that time!"

On some distant level, the young Sith realized that she was ranting.

"The Colicoids started this contest to determine which side of the war was worthier to buy their droids. And while I can crush a whole group of those machines with ease, our average trooper won't be so lucky. If you bombard the insects now, it will avert the worst-case scenario, which is Republic task forces with Colicoid droid support. But it will also prevent the Empire from gaining a major asset."

If looks could kill, Fortis would have a problem by now. Victoria made a conscious effort to relax her features again, but to no avail.

"That's why I am here. Competing against a Republic team, showing the bugs the skills of the Sith. _For the Empire_."

Anger replaced the worry she'd sensed a minute ago, which in turn ignited her own fury. Did the blasted Darth think that she was joking? Her last words had contained no intentional irony.

"Military decisions are mine to make."

Wonderful. Somebody had clearly started to suffer from severe delusions of grandeur during his last few conquests. Victoria ignored the fierceness in Fortis' words, as the red flames of anger started to burn behind her eyes in earnest.

"So you are the leader of the Imperial Military now?" the assassin retorted, not bothering to keep the acid out of her remark. Why had she tried to pull that moving piece of a pillar out of the fire back in that small park again?

Oh, right, yes. She _was_ insane.

"Lord Kell, even you should know that control over the Imperial troops and fleets lies mainly with the three heads of the Spheres of Military Offence, Military Strategy, and Defence of the Empire."

Victoria rolled her eyes. _Everybody_ knew that. Each sphere had its own associated contingents of troops, but the size of those varied considerably. The Sphere of Ancient Knowledge ruled over the Imperial Reclamation Service, for example, and there were quite a number of regular soldiers in its ranks as well. And Serpentis owned her very own personal capital ship; most Dark Councillors did. But the bulk of the armies and the navy was indeed coordinated by the three most combat-oriented Spheres of Influence.

Darth Azamin continued to serve as the head of the Sphere of Military Strategy, albeit only because his black-armoured apprentice didn't seem to like that particular job. The other two spheres weren't so lucky in terms of contingency; their leaders had gotten replaced on a nearly monthly schedule for ages now, as the Sith Lords and Darths of the offensive and defensive branch seemed to be particularly ambitious. The young Sith had stopped keeping track on who was sitting on one of the doomed thrones, saving herself the headache.

"Well, sorry for not kneeling, oh high-and-mighty Dark Lord of Offence", Victoria spat, picking a sphere at random for her mockery. "I have a small pain in the back, you know?"

She'd expected to feel more rage through the thin connection that bound the two of them through the Force, but sensed only… quiet. Complete calmness.

That was enough to weird out the young assassin profoundly. She'd have preferred ire.

"Darth Savage is the current head of the Sphere of Military Offence. I am…"

But whatever Fortis had intended to say was lost in an explosion. It seemed that more enemy droids had caught up with her.

* * *

 _Colla IV, Hive Battleground, 29 BEA_

Victoria used the fleeting moment of peace between machine attacks to catch her breath and to look around. Those Colicoid battle droids packed a punch. SP-06 was down, again, and this time, the damage was beyond her own field repair skills. Cursing bugs in general and this last wave of bug-crafted moving metal in particular, the Sith assassin activated its emergency mode and stowed the SP unit away in one of the containers around. If the insects were stupid enough to claim it during her absence, the whole Colla system would soon rival Taris in its metropolitan beauty.

The inquisitor frowned and checked the sky. Yes, the fleet was still present, its sunlit silver-grey shining quite beautifully through the clouds. Deceptive beauty, though. If Fortis decided to pull a Malak, then the Colicoids wouldn't have much time to contemplate what they'd done to provoke him.

Sighing, Victoria checked her holocom, but it remained silent. Good. The black-armoured Darth had stopped his call when the shooting had started, which had probably been for the best. With some extra minutes to think about the whole situation, the young Sith's common sense had reported back for duty and informed her that her haunting ally must already have been in hyperspace for quite some time during his first call. It was very likely that he had not tracked her, but had appeared in system for the same reason that she had – to resolve the Colicoid trading dilemma.

And something told Lord Kell that Darth Fortis wasn't about to humour the bugs and run their deadly droid-infested obstacle course, just to gain some trade privileges. While she could perfectly sympathize with that decision by now, she was still miffed at his continuing attempts to order her around.

Victoria levitated her remaining droids down to the next level of the bug-designed hazard run, and jumped down herself. Electric force fields were visible in the distance, their blue light glowing faintly, and she could also spot more of those obnoxious killer robots. To make matters worse, some strange pillars were distributed throughout the walkway. Scorch marks at the top indicated that the holes on their upper ends weren't just there to hand out ice-cream.

The young Sith stepped forwards carefully and managed to avoid the first blast of pillar fire. Alarmed by the explosions, one of the guardian droids targeted her, only to find itself dangling in the air and enjoying a panorama dive into the abyss below them. It took quite some seconds until Victoria heard the clanks of the impact.

"Lord Kell."

The young Sith winced in surprise; she had answered her holocom without consciously thinking about it. Startled, she took a step back, directly into the burning oil which the fire pillar had spilled across the path.

"Trice-damned flame spawn from Artemas' fiery buttocks!"

This was one of the times where Victoria had to admit that wearing armour wasn't the worst idea she'd ever had. Her old silk robes wouldn't have taken the heat half as well as Serpentis' old plate mail.

"Interesting. Usually I recognize at least parts of the origin of your more creative forms of address."

Fortis. On the up side, Victoria thought while trying to put out the flames in her hair again, he didn't seem to be as angry as before. On the down side, being mocked by the stoic warrior was creepy enough in itself.

"Er... wasn't talking to you. Blasted trapped obstacle here tried to roast me."

"I noticed."

No echoes of midnight graves or threats of death were present in his voice. Could be worse.

"Eh... Fortis?" Victoria asked. "Could we pretend that we finished that argument back then like civilized people, and forget that it ever happened for now?"

She wasn't so keen on shouting into her communicator while dismantling the next couple of droids. Besides, it had dawned on her that she'd been a bit unfair in her assessment.

"What argument?"

The young Sith made a face at the black mask, and felt a trace of amusement through the Force. It didn't last long, though.

"Victoria. Are you sure about this?"

The young Sith scratched her head, confused.

"Pardon?"

A second later she realized that she'd forgotten to explode at the sound of her given name, but the Darth was already talking again.

"The Colicoids' game. Are you sure that you can beat it?"

It wasn't meant as an insult, that much Victoria sensed unmistakeably. So she swallowed her snide remark, breathed deeply, and looked around again.

"Yes. Granted, the switches and puzzles ahead might drive me insane, but other than that, I see no significant problems."

The young Sith stared into unmoving black steel and wondered what her ally might think right now.

"Very well. I will trust your judgement."

Whatever Lord Kell had expected, it wasn't this. Completely surprised, she stepped forward without looking to the ground – only to trigger yet another wave of fire.

* * *

 _Colla IV, Hazard Course, 29 BEA_

"But even more interesting as the wildlife are the beautiful hand-crafted machines, which enhance the planet's charm substantially."

Pondering on whether 'mandible-crafted' would have been the more appropriate term, Victoria stretched the hand that wasn't currently holding her pen, and threw yet another approaching bug droid into the lava-filled abyss below them. This contest got more tiresome by the minute. But then SP-02 called for her assistance, and the young Sith put away her writing utensils.

"Master", her bodyguard reported, "it appears that we have to get past these energy fields. Scans indicate that a sophisticated switch system forces us to split up to achieve progress, while releasing more enemy metal units onto us while we are weakened in numbers. The odds do not appear to be in our favour. How shall we proceed?"

The assassin looked around. Her droid's assessment was accurate, naturally – the force fields blocked their path, and switches were most inconveniently placed throughout the obstacle course. The same was true for quite a number of Colicoid war droids, which seemed to grin at her despite their lack of facial features.

Blasted bugs.

Checking her pockets and emergency supplies, the young inquisitor shrugged.

"We cheat", she answered her own droid's enquiry, and threw an ion grenade over the closest energy field, directly onto the droid's ugly bug head. A flash of light, an explosion, and another burst of energy later, both the droid and the blue force field were non-existent. Before the bugs which controlled the spectacle could retaliate, Victoria sprinted towards the next shining obstacle and removed both the energy field and its guardian droid in the same fashion.

A signal sounded in the distance, and the remaining energy fields dropped, releasing the enemy machines to swarm upon them. The assassin grinned, very pleased with this development – she really needed the opportunity to get warmed up for the expected final showdown at the end of the hazard course.

* * *

 _Colla IV, Arena, 29 BEA_

"Another impressive display, organics. I am carefully observing your tactics. This learning experience is most appreciated."

Victoria rolled her eyes at the master droid's emotionless comment. 'Most appreciated', sure. Why would the Colicoids program their little metal pet for pleasantries? Well, if the bugs thought that she'd be less inclined to fight courteous enemies, they'd be in for a surprise.

Sensing danger ahead, the inquisitor moved forward slowly. But the next bugs didn't shoot at her, and only directed her towards a registration computer. Apparently, the Colicoids were fans of slaughter formalities.

 _There_.

Victoria's fingers closed around her lightsaber, but the Republic squad was securely hidden behind yet another energy field. And this time, with non-hostile Colicoid droids next to it, throwing another grenade didn't seem like the best idea. Besides, there were two Jedi among the group, which warranted a bit of caution. Smiling again, the inquisitor looked at the console before her for a second time. With minor effort she circumvented the security systems, accessed some data streams she'd no business to touch, and hacked the turrets in the adjacent room. One unfortunate system failure and some well-placed turret shots later, the Republic team was history.

So much for the praised vigilance of the guardians of the light.

* * *

With a loud roar, the last beast in the arena fell. Victoria deactivated her lightsaber and checked her surroundings, curious. If this was indeed the final obstacle on the bug hazard run, she would have to find somebody to complain to. Two narcoleptic nexu and an arthritic acklay weren't a challenge for her three remaining droids, and since the assassin had decided to just sign her postcard and be done with it, those trusty bodyguards had had a lightsaber-wielding protector during most of the fighting.

"My observations of you are complete, organics. I have developed a winning strategy. Please stand by for termination."

The master control unit spoke again, but this time, it was more than just a bodiless voice. Booming louder than all her droids together, a giant droid entered the arena. Gleaming metal, elegantly formed. Fast, yet coordinated movements. And, if the size of this thing was any indication, plenty of energy for its numerous cannons. That annihilator model truly was a piece of art.

Yawning, Victoria threw her lightsaber, ready to end this contest with a single move. But when her weapon froze in mid-air due to an exceptionally strong energy shield, the young Sith had to make haste to collect her saber again with the Force, before the king of killer droids blew it out of the air.

Huh. That heap of bolts might actually be a challenge.

The inquisitor concentrated on her frustration, charged her blade with deadly energy, and closed in on the robot, all the while deflecting its fire with the Force or her saber. Behind her, the three SP droids started to shoot as well, but their blaster bolts were absorbed by the enemy machine's shields.

"You are distinguished competitors. I regret that I must terminate you, but I was not programmed for mercy."

With that statement, the annihilator unit shot a fiery ball of explosive material towards her droids. A metallic shriek, and SP-07 went down in flames.

Victoria clenched her fists and felt pure rage flood her mind. She ran, reached striking distance, lifted her weapon – and nearly broke her arm, as her blade was deflected by the energy shield again.

Blast it. Of course she hadn't brought a vibroblade.

The inquisitor rolled out of harm's way, as the Colicoid droid turned and burned the ground where she had been standing just seconds ago. She had to admit that things weren't looking too good. Her droids could have thrown cotton balls at the enemy and wouldn't have lost effectiveness, and with that energy shield in place, her own lightsaber wasn't of much use, either. Victoria tried to concentrate, wanting to rip that thing apart with the Force, but found no easy toehold on the massive object. And since she had to evade another blast of energy a second later, her efforts remained futile.

Panting, the young Sith looked around. What would her master do in such a situation?

Well, with her knowledge of mysteries and astonishing Force tricks, Serpentis would probably be able to deconstruct the droid through the Force anyway. If not, she'd likely just use her head.

Victoria's own head felt like a pot with cooked Cinnagar noodles. Not much inspiration there.

What would Fortis do?

The black-clad buffalo might also be able to destroy this opponent with barely more than a thought. Failing that, the Darth might just charge the robot without his saber, hammer it down with his hardened helmet, and rip the rest of the machine apart with his armoured fists. The energy shield just reflected energy, after all; it didn't immunize the annihilator against blunt force weapons.

Despite the situation, Victoria had to smile at this mental picture.

 _Wait..._

The inquisitor threw the Force around her like a cloak, and vanished from sight and out of sensor range. Running towards the acklay corpse and praying to no one in particular that her droids might be able to evade the enemy fire for some seconds longer, Victoria drew her lightsaber again and cut off the animal's ugly, heavy, plated head. The sounds revealed her position to the bug droid, and the Sith had to hurry away yet again, but not before levitating the improvised boulder, and throwing it with all her rage-powered Force directly at the gracile metallic neck of the annihilator model.

The resulting thud was impressive, but more important was the squeal and cracks coming from distortions in the shield generator. Concentrating for one last time, Victoria used the Force to phase towards her opponent. This time, her lightsaber found its mark, again and again, and she didn't stop until the machine was thoroughly disassembled.

"Systems failure. Fascinating. There was more to learn…"

A final stroke with her red blade, and the Colicoid droid was permanently silenced.

* * *

 _Colla IV, Arena_ _Platform_ _, 29 BEA_

Crossing her arms while listening to bug chatter, Victoria tried to look as if she understood at least parts of the Colicoid conversation. SP-06 had carried the linguistic subroutine package, but she hadn't wasted the necessary energy and runtime on all her droids. With SP-06 somewhere back at the hazard course, the young Sith now had to rely on a holographic translator.

Sometimes she wondered whether there was anything Fortis couldn't do. Other than wearing white, of course.

"The Colicoids are impressed by the damage you inflicted. The Republic challengers did not survive. The outcome is clear."

Victoria frowned and looked from the black-armoured holo projection towards the bugs and back again.

"So the Colicoid leaders will sell weapons to the Empire?" she asked, hoping that she hadn't misunderstood. Her back hurt, she was tired, and hungry, and as soon as SP-02 was back with SP-06's remnants, she intended to leave Colla IV forever.

"A diplomatic vessel is already on its way."

The young Sith nodded at the Darth's words, satisfied. "Good thing, really, that the fleet is in place. Even the Republic won't be stupid enough to try any sabotage with so much firepower around."

She sensed consent in the black figure.

"Agreed."

Victoria just wanted to deactivate her holo again, when Fortis continued.

"Kell, take your shuttle and rendezvous with the fleet at these coordinates. This is not an order, but I wish to speak with you."

The young Sith blinked. Had the Darth really spoken the words 'not', and 'wish', or was she hallucinating?

Torn, she looked from Fortis' image to her finished postcard and back again.

"Could we postpone that for a short while?" she asked, deciding that she had other priorities right now. "I really need to go back to my master, and smooth things over."

Victoria reached out with the Force, but sensed nothing – either the distance was too great again, or Fortis was guarding his thoughts.

"Very well", he finally answered, and closed the channel. Breathing with a peculiar mix of relief and disappointment, the young Sith made her way to her shuttle, just as SP-02 and SP-06 came into sight.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas_ _,_ _Sith Sanctum_ _, 29 BEA_

Victoria reached the capital of the Sith Empire without problems, and made her way to the halls of the Sphere of Mysteries. She felt her master's presence, but wasn't stupid enough to just enter the Darth's private sanctum without invitation. Instead, she reported back for duty from a successful mission through the official channels, and filed a request for a meeting with Serpentis.

The young Sith was quite sure that the Darth was still angry at her, but she didn't have to wait long regardless. When the old assassin summoned her, Victoria took a deep breath, entered her master's rooms, and collected what determination she could find. She waited until Serpentis turned to acknowledge her presence, and slowly sank down onto one knee.

Getting her postcard from one of her pockets, the inquisitor held it before her, hand stretched out.

"Your postcard, master", she said, and cleared her throat. "And whatever you may intend to do or not to do about this whole situation, know this: Despite recent evidence to the contrary, I have always respected you, and always will."

Victoria kept her gaze onto the floor, and waited. She didn't know how much time had passed, but finally, she felt a draught of cool air. The piece of metal was lifted from her hand, and she heard a sigh.

"The Colicoid situation is resolved, I take it?"

Finally daring to look up, the young Sith was relieved to see warmth in the eyes of her master again.

"Yes, my lord", she answered. "The insects have agreed to sell weapons to the Empire, exclusively."

Another sigh.

"Rise, Lord Kell. And I have another request for you, young dragon."

Standing again, Victoria nodded.

"Well, as long as it doesn't involve a toothbrush..."

Serpentis' eyes glittered red in the darkness of the room.

"That depends. I just want to ask you to try and grow up a little."

The young Sith made a face – she couldn't help it.

"Can't I just, I don't know, go and beat the whole Republic or something?" the inquisitor asked, and finally, the older Sith chuckled.

"Yes, I do imagine that this would be the easier task from your perspective. Anyway, just try. I don't expect results by tomorrow, you know."

Now it was the young Sith's turn to sigh.

"As you wish, my master", she answered, willing to at least give it a chance. And while they were at it...

"Master?" Victoria asked, suddenly remembering some seconds from Colla IV. "Just out of interest: Who's on the Dark Council right now?"

The shine of the red eyes seemed to get more intense for just a moment.

"Well, you know me", Serpentis answered after a second. "I still lead the Sphere of Mysteries. Then there is Darth Azamin, head of the Sphere of Military Strategy. Darth Venox, Darth Jadus... You do know Darth Fortis, of course. Then there is Darth M..."

But Victoria wasn't listening any more, as her brain simply refused to work.

She should have known.

She really should have realized this sooner.

 _One of the best strategists of the Empire_ , her oh-so-helpful memory supplied. Strategist, yes, but not necessarily a member of the Sphere of Military Strategy.

What in the name of all three Chandrilan hells was she going to do now?

And why in the name of the Emperor's most cruel nightmares was she still breathing?

"Is everything all right, young dragon? You are quite pale all of a sudden."

Victoria looked at her master again, and tried to stifle her teeth from chattering.

"Master?" she asked, and her voice sounded quite small. "Have you ever pulled at the tail of a Kell dragon, only to discover that you have just successfully provoked a Krayt dragon without realizing it at first?"

Darth Serpentis tilted her head slightly, and the young Sith felt her confusion.

"Don't sell yourself short, young dragon. I do know for sure that you would readily provoke a Krayt dragon as well."

"Well, yes, but only if I knew that the beast was a vegetarian."

Victoria shook her head.

"I take it that you haven't, then. Well, that's the reason why you are a Darth and on the Dark Council, and I am a Sith Lord who has got a major problem right now."


	16. Taking Flight

_Asylum, The Gravestone, Kitchen, 5 AEA_

Splash.

Raven frowned, as the lights above her flickered yet again, and made sure to aim carefully as she threw the next raw egg into the mixing bowl. Then she took one of the largest spoons she could find, and started to stir the dough until her arm hurt.

They really should invest into better kitchen tools for the Gravestone.

Well, at least they had a pan. The young Sith turned the stove on, but just in this moment, the power went out completely.

 _"Koth!"_

Of course the Zakuulan couldn't hear her, since communications were down as well, but Raven still felt a bit better. Cursing softly under her breath, she regretted leaving him with SCORPIO on the bridge. Sure, overseeing repairs wasn't one of her own hobbies, but if those two rammed each other into some random power conduits and caused more permanent blackouts, the assassin would have to adjust their priorities a bit.

Electricity was still not available, but fortunately, manipulating power was one of her specialities. Raven called on the Force to form a shining halo around her, since she didn't like the darkness, especially when cooking, and channelled a medium amount of raw energy into the filled pan. She had meant to do her usual meditation routine after breakfast; apparently, now she had the chance to combine both Force training and the meal preparations.

Ten seconds after she'd finished baking the last pancake assassin-style, the Gravestone's systems went back to normal. The young Sith sighed and didn't even bother to shake her head – sometimes she just knew that the universe or the Force itself had quite a mean sense of humour.

Ten minutes into a relaxed and well-lit breakfast, a disgruntled Lea appeared. The Jedi didn't look particularly happy, and more than just a little bit exhausted. Raven hurried to offer her sister some pancakes and a cup of tea to cheer her up, but the Barsen'thor ignored the plate downright. Instead, she took the cup, and poured about half of the Corellian blossom honey into it. After swallowing the whole content of her cup in one big swig, the Jedi grasped the glass with the sweet substance and gulped down the viscous liquid as well. Wincing slightly, the Sith was unsure on how to proceed.

"Er, having a bad morning?" Raven asked carefully, and tried to guess the likelihood of an explosion. But the Jedi only allowed her head to hit the table top. Then she burped. Loudly.

"Well then. Now that you've got some space in your stomach again, why not fill it with a pancake? Sorry for not offering you any honey, though. The last one vanished under mysterious circumstances just this very morning."

A snort sounded from the Jedi's direction, and Raven smiled in relief when she saw her sister move her hand. The previously neglected plate was levitated towards the table, alongside with a jar of Zakuulan jam. Moments later, it was empty, too, but the Jedi Master hat sit up again and was now munching through enough calories to fight a small army. The assassin joined her, since her own stomach reminded her that she was far from sated, and both ate in silence for a while. Still, the inquisitor remained curious.

"So, sister. What's the matter? You look like you didn't sleep at all, and as if somebody had seriously annoyed you on top of it."

Lea shrugged, but nodded. "Yeah, sorry, I know that my table manners are lacking today. Good guess, by the way. I was having some serious nightmares, and some hours ago, I just gave up sleeping. Instead, I tried to track down some people again with the Gravestone's fancy new upgrades, but that was about as successful as trying to get back to sleep."

Slightly worried, Raven tilted her head. Lea could sleep during a space battle if necessary, so insomnia was very atypical for the young Jedi.

"Want to talk about it? That 'I'll be here when you need me' goes both ways, sis."

The consular hesitated for a moment, but nodded.

"Come. I'd like some privacy for that particular bit of fun."

Leaving the rest of the pancakes for the Zakuulan refugees who had just appeared for their own breakfast, Raven followed her sister to the Barsen'thor's quarters. The Jedi entered, offered the assassin a seat, and dropped down on her bed. Watching as her sister hugged her pillow, the young Sith felt a sudden bout of helplessness at the visible vulnerability of the golden-haired warrior.

"I saw myself", Lea started, and interrupted herself as suddenly as she had begun. Her voice sounded a bit off, as if she had to concentrate her willpower to speak normally. The Jedi shook her head, and tried again.

"In my dream, I mean. At least I hope it was just a dream. That nightmare figure that wore my face... From the lines on her skin, I'd guess she was older than we are now, and her eyes were vibrant red. Dark side corruption red, not hay fever red, you know? Scars covered about half of her face, but those were different from yours. Burns, likely. And the hatred in her expression, that insane rage..."

The Jedi stopped again, and Raven saw her knuckles whiten as she clutched her pillow with more force. Carefully, the young Sith walked over, and put an arm around her shivering sister.

"You know that it could also have been me, right? Medical technology is advancing fast, despite Zakuul and everything. Perhaps I could get rid of my current scars in some years, and if it was indeed a vision of the future..."

Lea gave a strange sound, half cry, half chuckle. "Was that supposed to cheer me up? I don't want to fall to the dark side, but three hells, Moira, I don't want to lose you to the darkness, either. And we both know that I am far more susceptible to rage and anger than you, despite my own chocolate-and-meditation childhood at the Jedi temple."

Raven thought again on what the Jedi had told her, both about her recent dream, and about a Jedi's vision in general.

"Could it have been an image from the past?" she asked, hopeful. "You do look like mother, we both know that. Granted, hair and eye colour don't really match, but Darth Ignus definitely stood on the dark side of the Force."

Breathing deep, Lea shook her head. "Mum wasn't the most merciful person around when she was alive, sure, but the last pictures before her untimely death show her with orange eyes, not this blazing red that I saw during the dream. And after that, when I carried a part of her spirit with me, she was... milder. Calmer, you know? Not really what you'd call 'light side', but definitely not drowning in darkness, either. Besides, Darth Ignus liked fire, but she never burned her face."

"A what-if type of scene, then? What if Ignus had lived and continued her reign on the Dark Council? Visions can show anything, right?"

Lea sighed. "True, but that's not really likely."

"Then remember that Jedi never base judgement solely on visions for a reason. Things that might appear probable today can very well be impossible tomorrow, as you well know", Raven answered, and tightened her hold around her sister's shoulders. "Besides, I'm still here. We'll both watch out for each other. And don't give me the 'what if you are dead' stuff. First, I am immortal, and second, I'd come back as a ghost and scold you until you went light side again out of sheer embarrassment."

Feeling her sister tremble, the young Sith wondered if she'd overdone it, but noticed in time that the Barsen'thor was only laughing.

"I can imagine that", Lea coughed, and cleared her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. Luckily, she wasn't wearing her armour. "Alright, then. No falling, no dying. At least not for the next hundred years. And then, it's either dying peacefully in our sleep, or going down in one last, heroic act, saving at least a whole planet from some terrible danger. Deal?"

"Done." Raven smiled wryly. "I'm also game for hundred and fifty years, you know? But you were also angry about something else, weren't you?"

The Jedi closed her eyes again. "More like disappointed, though. I thought I'd try to track down our missing friends again. I think I got some trace of Qyzen, but I have no idea why he should go to Hoth, of all places. And your Xalek, he might have been travelling to Ilum some time ago. But the others... all missing. I couldn't even get a hold on Talos, and I managed to track him for quite some time while recuperating on Tython."

Despite the less than optimal news, Raven smiled, grateful for the efforts of her sister.

"We'll get them back, all of them", she promised. "Sometimes, no news can also be good news. Andronikos knows a thing or two about hiding, for example, and if Nadia has decided to explore the universe and fighting the good fight instead of returning to her people, she'll probably be hard to find as well. At least if she took some advice from that Lieutenant of yours. The two of you perfected those stealth ambushes, didn't you?"

A small smile appeared on Lea's face.

"You are not wrong about Iresso. Zenith is a master in ambushing his targets, too. Dr. Cedrax not so much, but of all my people, he's the one I would miss the least. If Ashara stayed with Andronikos, and Khem used his Shadow Killer experience, it's no surprise that I couldn't find any of them."

The Barsen'thor rubbed her forehead. "There's an easy solution, though. Go and beat Arcann, take his throne and declare yourself Empress of Zakuul. That should get their attention, wherever they are now, and make them come back in a hurry."

This idea made the young Sith laugh out loud. "Great. I can see it now... Arcann down on the ground, beaten, wondering where I got the strength to best him, and imploding with indignation when I tell him 'sorry, buddy, but I just wanted some friends back for a Sabacc evening'."

Lea's own smile was a tad lopsided.

"Not what he'd want to hear in such a situation, I suppose", she commented, and sighed again. "I also tried to find the Grandmaster again. Master Satele. But that was even less successful. Nobody knows where she has gone, neither the Jedi nor the SIS can find her. The universe as we knew it is gone, the Republic and Empire have all but fallen, but she... simply vanishes. I don't think she's dead, not yet, but even through the Force I can't even narrow down the search."

Raven scratched her head. "So she doesn't want to be found. A secret mission, perhaps? Some super-sensitive plot to destroy the current or the former Emperor of Zakuul?"

The Jedi snorted. "If I had needed more proof that you are the more patient twin, that would suffice. Even with your enemies, or former enemies, you still tend to assume the best."

A thud, and the pillow landed somewhere on the other side of the room, while the consular made a fist.

"Master Shan has a slight tendency to abandon those who depend on her, personally. Sure, she always had her reasons, and she was devoted to the order, but even that connection took a serious hit when the Hero of Tython died during the Zakuul invasion. Not that I was conscious during that time, but I heard quite a lot after the healers succeeded in pulling me out of the coma."

Lea chuckled slightly, but it was a sound full of bitterness. "If you don't believe me, ask Theron. Did you never ask yourself why I didn't even think about starting anything with the Republic agent? I knew him well before the two of you met for the first time, and I have two working eyes and agree that he's quite cute. No, Theron was always like a brother to me. We both had a phase, when we were really young, during which we idolized Master Shan. And it took us both quite some time to get over it. In my case, it was a bit pathetic, all things considered. I mean, in contrast to all the other young Jedi around me I still had mother with me, somehow, and knew for a fact that she loved me unconditionally. I had a master that cared for me, and later on, I was mentored by Master Syo of the Jedi Council. Great honour and everything, and he really was a good man, and a fine friend. He still is, but he has his own demons to fight."

One wave with her hand, and the pillow returned to the Barsen'thor.

"But it was Master Satele's attention that I wanted, it was her approval that I sought, and neither following my lectures as a child nor beating impossible odds as a Jedi was enough to achieve it. It was always the Hero of Tython she was doting on, no matter what happened. I learned a thing or two about jealousy as a Padawan, believe me."

The bitterness was gone, replaced by a near-tangible feeling of loss, of sadness. Echoes of old pain. And Raven remembered Rishi and Yavin 4, where Lea had always sided with the Grandmaster, sometimes probably without even thinking, yet there had always been some strange form of distance between the two Jedi. Some wounds took a long time to heal.

"Look at it from the bright side", the young Sith whispered, and hugged her sister, offering additional support. "I am still here, and you don't have to do anything to impress me. And besides, I am quite positive that I do make better pancakes than the Grandmaster. Even when the power's gone."

Raven felt her sister cry silently into her robed shoulder, but didn't care about any wet or salty spots. She had meant what she'd said – she would always be there when Lea needed her. Having to switch her clothes twice a day on certain occasions was a small price to pay when it made her sister feel better.

* * *

 _Asylum, The Gravestone, Training Room, 5 AEA_

"Don't tell me you are already tired, Lana. I'm just getting warmed up!"

Raven grinned towards her friend, and lifted her training blade again. After being challenged by the blonde Sith Lord, the assassin wasn't holding back, and she relished the chance to get a complete workout without having to fear for her life for a change. But Beniko shook her head.

"Sorry, Dark Lord, but my arm is not quite as strong as it used to be", she answered, and sighed. "I thought that your own skills were still impeded from your long carbonite sleep, but apparently you have overcome these difficulties. Your abilities are as astonishing as ever, and your reflexes seem to be even faster. If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you had bound some more Sith ghosts to increase your power again."

"You flatter me."

Shuddering, the young inquisitor remembered the menagerie of Sith spirits she had carried with her for quite some months during her quarrel with Darth Thanaton. Those four charming beings had argued almost constantly, and strained her own patience more than once. When she had finally beaten her enemy, she had freed and possibly redeemed them all, albeit not only because it was the right thing to do. Raven had really wanted to make sure that she'd never be woken up in the middle of the night again, just because Horak-Mul and Darth Andru couldn't reach a consensus on whether exoboar or grazer steak was more delicious.

Still, after Vitiate had forced his way into her head, the young Sith couldn't help but wonder how he'd have fared against quadruple competition for the most comfortable back seat in her cerebral depths. It would certainly have annoyed him, though he probably wouldn't have admitted it willingly.

"After swallowing the spirit of a world eater, regular ghosts just don't look so appealing any more", Raven answered dryly, and smiled when Lana rolled her eyes.

"I am not sure whether I should find your sense of humour quite disturbing, or if I should be grateful that you still have the strength to jest about all the terror life throws at you", she commented. "Anyway, shouldn't we check on Koth and SCORPIO and make sure that everything is going smoothly with the repairs?"

Frowning, Raven checked her chrono. "No power surge or overload for almost three hours. I'd say they are doing well without our intervention. Giving them space was a good idea – that bridge can only hold so many personalities."

Lana chuckled quietly. "Knowing the dossiers of your previous companions, I can imagine that you are used to it, though."

Both Sith put aside their blades, and Raven busied herself throwing some arches of lightning at a training dummy. Lana stayed as well, looking slightly troubled.

"SCORPIO worked with Imperial Intelligence in the past. But she now operates independently. Thoughts?"

Nothing comforting or positive came to mind.

"She's probably listening to our conversation", Raven remarked, and made a face at the communication terminal at the side of the room. Twitching slightly, Lana shook her head.

"Lovely. Not that we have any privacy, considering who's inside your head. And we are friends, nothing more... I suppose you and Theron can steer clear of that machine, but avoiding our former Emperor during the more _private_ of your private moments will be difficult."

Groaning, the inquisitor hid her eyes behind her hand. "Don't make me think about that complication, please. My nerves are in bad enough shape as it is. Besides, how is it that you even know about Theron and me?"

Lana lifted one single eyebrow. The look on her face was an indecent mixture of superiority and amusement.

"You can't be serious, my lord. Everybody who has seen you and our Republic ally walk through the same room knows. Even if the person in question is a Force-blind Miraluka."

That… was a very disturbing thought.

"It would certainly explain the peculiar look in Grandmaster Shan's eyes during our meeting on Rishi", Raven reflected. Then she gulped. "Wait… Oh, stars. Blast it."

Forget amusement – Lana's smile became downright ironic.

"You still remember that you did ask for some alone time with the SIS poster boy before our departure to Yavin, and that all of us waited for you, don't you? The first thing Darth Marr did after leaving the safe house was requesting a thorough dossier on Agent Shan. The second thing was interviewing me personally on my recent experiences with the Grandmaster's son."

The young assassin looked into the distance, eyes unfocused. "He never mentioned it, not towards me at least. But there was a certain undertone in his voice when he commented on me serving the Empire in my own way after Yavin 4. I thought he meant my alliance with Lea… Well, and after that, everything started to go to the three hells of Chandrila in a handbasket."

Shaking her head, the young assassin tried to fight the feelings of loss, of helplessness, but wasn't very successful. Fearing that melancholy would overwhelm her, she turned to her companion again.

"Please tell me that there are some good news from your contacts. Anything?"

Lana's own face had lost all traces of amusement during the last minute, which was no surprise. For Raven, the horror of Zakuul was still something new, but Beniko had fought through it for five years in total. But at her question the blonde Sith Lord started to smile softly again.

"Indeed there are, Raven. I've received word from my agents on Coruscant and Dromund Kaas. Certain elements of each government are willing to discuss an alliance. To unite their forces against the Eternal Throne."

Perking up, the assassin felt a sudden and unexpected bout of hope.

"We can only defeat Arcann by working together", she declared, and wished for the hundredth time that her old allies from the battle against Revan were still around. Even with Lea's difficulties with the Grandmaster, Satele had still be somebody Raven had trusted to keep her word back then. And if the late Dark Councillor had been able to lead the defence of the Sith Empire against Arcann, the ambitious Zakuulan prince might have lost more than just his arm and half of his face during his conquest.

Hope. An Alliance. Empire and Republic together. The assassin focused on these words, until the dark clouds inside her head dissolved again.

"You are still grieving for the Empire? It was a failure", Vitiate's ghostly voice whispered, and Raven did her best to recall the precise feelings of bog-apple poisoning until he shut up again.

"We've got a long road ahead, but at least they're talking", Lana concluded, oblivious to the assassin's struggle. In that precise moment, her holocom sprang to life and showed an image of none other than Mr. Lead-Scion Torch-Eye Head-Weirdo Heskal.

"Your presence is requested. Come alone", he demanded, and hung up before Raven could even think of an answer. Lana didn't seem to be particularly amused, either.

"Charmer, that one", she commented, and lifted an eyebrow again.

"Senya knows how to pick them", the inquisitor grumbled, and held up her hand. "You can save yourself the trouble of warning me to be careful, though. I'm not going, at least not now. After our wonderful fate-clearing saber-and-fist-fight discussion last time, I'm pretty sure that we are better off without so-called allies that want to read our intestines whenever destiny demands it. And I am no trained Kath hound to be ordered around at a fanatic's whim."

* * *

 _Asylum, The Gravestone, Mess Hall, 5 AEA_

Raven had just finished a tasty late lunch with her sister, when her communicator beeped. Seeing that it was Senya, the young Sith smiled and answered the call.

"I am feeling… disturbances in the Force", the former Zakuulan Knight stated without preamble. "Is everything fine at the Gravestone?"

The assassin scratched her head, confused. "The repairs are progressing smoothly. Some of Koth's crew are enjoying the benefits of Asylum, but most are here and I am not aware of any problems. Oh, by the way, your friend Heskal called and tried to order me around."

Blue-grey eyes widened in shock. "Heskal? Then it must be urgent. Where are you? How long until you reach him?"

"Er… I am in the mess hall, eating." Wincing at the knight's expression, Raven readied herself for an emergency mission towards the Scions' hideout. "You think it was important?"

* * *

 _Asylum, Back Streets, 5 AEA_

"Please explain again why we run through Asylum as if Arcann personally was hunting us."

Raven shot her sister a dark glare. "Because Senya was completely desperate and asked me to."

Shaking her head, Lea bit into a sandwich. The Jedi could run and eat without problems.

"Doesn't explain why I couldn't even finish my dinner."

The young Sith frowned. "You heard her. Senya was worried. And if Senya is worried, I am certainly not taking any chances. That means taking two heavy hitters with me on this mission, and ordering the rest of the crew to cut shore leave short and prepare the Gravestone for the worst."

"What, does she have a more personal interest in that Scion? Wasn't Valkorion weird enough for her taste?"

"Interjection: We have nearly reached the Scions' hideout. Commentary: Master-and-Master chatting is detrimental to combat focus."

Lea snorted with suppressed laughter. "Okay, HK. Focusing again."

* * *

 _Asylum, Scions' Sanctuary, 5 AEA_

The first thing that Raven noticed when entering the hidden hideout was the darkness. And there was a strange sense of… excitement in the gloomy air. The Force itself was convulsing, pulsating distractingly, and the young Sith felt suddenly reminded of the Spire again.

"There is something evil here, though I can't quite put my finger on it", the Jedi whispered. "Do you sense it, too?"

The young assassin nodded, and was grateful that she hadn't come alone.

"Statement: Ready to vaporize any evil meatbags. Conclusion: Additional sense is not required."

HK. Glad for his presence, too, the inquisitor nodded her agreement, and proceeded deeper into the seemingly deserted stronghold.

Finally, the three of them reached the central meeting chamber. A shadowy figure stood in its centre, unmoving, lightsaber drawn and ignited. Hands on her own weapon, Raven frowned deeply. It was Heskal, yet he wasn't holding his red saber, but a pink one. The excitement she'd sensed before was nearly tangible, but mixed with… pain? And what was lying on the ground behind the Scions' leader?

Her own saber sprang to life just as Raven heard her sister's blade ignite. Death. She felt it now, unmistakeably, each loss of life a small rift in the Force. The ground behind Heskal was covered in corpses.

"What has happened here?" she demanded, but her voice was a tad shaky. Had the Scions' leader truly gone insane? Or was there another explanation, somewhere hidden in the threatening shadows?

The man before them still stood in the semi-darkness of the room, unmoving, silent. Each fleeting moment seemed to stretch before passing into nothingness. Then, suddenly, there was a sound, or more accurately, a lack of it, as Heskal's blade lost power. Few things in the universe are actually as loud as a background sound that suddenly stops humming, a part of Raven's brain supplied. The rest of her mind was busy staring at the Scion of Zakuul, who slowly loosened his grip on the lightsaber hilt, while extending all his limbs at awkward angles. A seizure? Was there some form of poison in the air that had killed the other Scions?

The young assassin moved forward, willing to at least try and help, when a sudden pull at her shoulder stopped her.

"Don't!" the Jedi at her side whispered, with more than just a hint of fear, and Raven's gaze was caught by the metallic sheen of the Scion's lightsaber. The weapon fell, slowly, almost hypnotising, taking way too long for the short distance towards the ground. The young Sith looked up, mind filled with dread, and saw Heskal convulse for a second. But he never finished the movement, as a concentrated bright light exploded from the centre of his chest, with the radiant yet terrible colour of the Zakuulan sun.

What had once been a potential ally was cast aside by a Force wave of tremendous power. And in his place, formed out of the moving shadows, white scaled robes still shining despite the dreadful gloom, stood a way too well-known figure. Black, metallic arm raised, single visible eye burning through the darkness.

Arcann.

But the current Emperor of Zakuul did not attack. Instead, he deactivated his lightsaber in a single, elegant movement. The small part of Raven's mind that was still working normally gave him points for confidence and style, given that both she and Lea had still activated their weapons. The majority of her thoughts was busy gaping.

"I don't leave Zakuul for just anyone. Be honoured."

Raven closed her mouth, just to open it again as her subconsciousness insisted on commenting his impudence.

"You followed me."

She really should have felt Arcann's presence before. But, distracted as she had been, and without ever suspecting that the former prince might be close by, the assassin had nearly run into him at full speed. The gleam in Arcann's eye got stronger.

"I was invited", he answered, and Raven didn't sense deceit. "Heskal arranged all of this. The fool."

Now her adversary was pacing. Why was he here?

"If you wanted a fight, we wouldn't be talking", the inquisitor deduced, and was surprised that her voice sounded relatively normal. Her pulse had sped up, but the nameless terror was gone. Before her stood a powerful adversary, who might very well be able to kill her, but when it came down to it, he was still human. Cybernetically enhanced and corrupted by the dark side of the Force, but no supernatural monster. She could, and would, deal with this.

"I have the imagination to see many solutions to a dilemma. Unlike your friend."

Raven watched the dim lights play over the reflecting parts of Arcann's mask. The fact that Lea didn't snort at the word 'friend' worried her, though.

"Scions have always worshipped at the false altar of fate", the Zakuulan leader continued. "That is why I kill them. I am beyond prophecy."

He turned his back towards them, glaring at the Scions' insignia. Overconfidence, or show? Raven weighted her options. Attacking now would be possible, but Arcann was likely expecting it, and with Lea still sort of frozen beside her…

"I forge my own destiny by making the hard choices", the current Emperor stated. "Now it's your turn. I'm not without mercy. Surrender. You will be returned to carboni..."

He wasn't able to finish the sentence, since evading a two metres long piece of a large column does require a certain amount of focus – at least if it is thrown by a sufficiently angry Jedi. Golden light had erupted next to Raven, just as Lea gave her non-verbal answer, and the Sith Assassin rolled out of the way just in time to evade a retaliating Force wave.

"In case you were wondering, the answer is 'no'", Raven coughed, as dust invaded her lung. Suddenly, a massive explosion shook the ground, and another pillar started to crumble. And another.

"Blast it, Lea, you might have overdone it!"

"Wasn't me", the Jedi yelled, and pushed both the Sith and the HK unit towards the next unobstructed exit with the Force. Arcann was hidden somewhere at the other side of the chaos, his rage easy to sense through the Force, but cut off from them for the moment. And the last thing Raven wanted was a fight for her life in a collapsing building.

While running as fast as they could, the young Sith still reached for her holocom. "Lana? Arcann's here! Defend the ship!"

She only heard a curse as answer, and then most of the sounds were drowned out by the creaks and screams of metal, as the sanctuary fell apart.

* * *

 _Asylum, Back Streets, 5 AEA_

"Tell me you're alive!"

Lana. The young Sith opened her eyes and looked around. Her sister, the droid and herself had put quite a distance between them and the destroyed hideout, and they had finally felt that it was safe to slow down. That's when Raven had noticed that her communicator was beeping like crazy.

"Alive, yes. Intact… mostly", she answered, and heard a short, yet relieved sigh on the other end.

"The Gravestone is under siege, but we're not leaving without you", the Sith Lord shouted, and Raven felt the tremors as Asylum shook under the onslaught of heavy fire.

"Hold tight, we are coming", she answered tersely, and the whole group started to hurry towards their ship again.

About half-way towards their goal, Raven suddenly stopped as she sensed a familiar presence. Faint, but still recognizable – but it was impossible, wasn't it?

Heskal.

Raven opened a door, and there he was – being pulled like a dead animal by two Knights of Zakuul over the dirty ground, pain radiating openly, life force all but dripped away, but still conscious. Still with a flicker of intelligence in his broken eyes. Despite their past disagreements, and even with his possible betrayal, the young assassin couldn't help but feel pity at that sight.

"The Outlander! Take her alive!"

Needless to say that attacking them was the last mistake those knights would ever make, the Sith thought. Neither the knights nor their leader lasted very long against HK and Lea's Force power. The assassin herself slipped into the shadows and closed the distance to Heskal, trying to heal whatever she could with two medpacs, but saw that it was hopeless as she got closer. How the man before her still managed to cling to life was a mystery to her – Arcann's saber strike had fully impaled his chest. The fallen Scion looked up, and recognition lit up his face for what was likely the last time.

"A new thread weaves through fate's tapestry. As I foresaw."

Frowning, but not really surprised, Raven nodded. "Then Arcann told the truth. You did bring him here."

There was almost a smile on Heskal's pain-twisted features.

"It was necessary", he coughed. "You will see. The Scions remain your allies. Each of them will return to you when it is their time to die."

What was the correct answer to that? The young inquisitor didn't know which was worse – Heskal's words, or the deep conviction with which he spoke them.

"No more Scions need to die", she said, and put the full force of her willpower behind it. "Tell me where they've gone, and I'll protect them."

Heskal's voice was but a whisper now. "Their fates are sealed. Like yours."

A final twitch, and Raven had to concentrate to understand his last words. "I have no regrets. I have seen the future. It is… glorious…"

With that, something in the assassin's mind snapped.

"You doomed Asylum for a fantasy", Raven hissed, fighting sudden disgust. How many people had died already due to the actions of this one insane person, and how many would follow until this was over?

"Your visions were the hallucinations of a madman."

But Heskal couldn't defend his actions further. The light in his strange torch-eyes had finally gone out, and the leader of the Scions was no more.

* * *

 _Asylum, Gravestone Dock, 5 AEA_

When Raven, Lea and HK finally reached the docks, they were stepping into a minor war. Disabled Skytroopers cluttered the area, and blaster fire merged with the hum of a lightsaber. After helping the Gravestone's defenders to clear the latest wave of attackers, Raven looked around for Lana or Senya. The blonde Sith Lord was nearby, her red saber shining, but her face twisted in worry.

"We have problems."

That was likely the understatement of the month.

"Tell me the hyperdrive isn't one", Raven asked. She'd felt Arcann's fury and would have bet anything that Asylum wouldn't survive the next hours. It was time to go, and fast.

"SCORPIO fixed it, but Arcann's forces locked the docking clamps", Lana answered, calm despite the grim news. "We're grounded."

Great. Just great. Without the protection of the Gravestone's powerful shields and fleet-destroying Omni-cannon, they had no chance of leaving the skyport alive while the Eternal Fleet clouded the sky above them.

"Koth is en route to the Control Spar, but he'll need help", Lana continued, and Raven groaned.

"Alone? Is he insane, or suicidal? Or does he want to make up for annoying us by showing mindless heroics?"

Behind them, Len had listened in on their conversation. "Don't worry", he shouted with more optimism than the young Sith felt, "the Gravestone is in good hands. Go get our captain, Blondie."

 _Blondie?_

Fear and worries forgotten, Raven looked at her sister, and both siblings valiantly fought a fit of laughter, as the addressed Lord turned slowly on the spot and gave the Zakuulan a look that made Senya's usual x-ray gaze seem like the visual equivalent of a picnic.

"Er... I meant... Miss Beniko..."

"Hells, he likely needs a new pair of pants", Lea whispered, and ducked as Lana turned around again, yellow eyes still burning. Decision time, decision time...

"Lana, we'll try to reach Koth by the main route, here", Raven ordered. "HK? You're also on the team, but since you don't need oxygen, you can take this short cut. Protect Koth if you reach him before we do. Lea? Arcann is still somewhere around, but I can't pinpoint his location through the Force. You have the best chances of escaping from him while running solo, and you're the best tracker that we've got, so finding the bogeyman is your job. We need to know where he is, and to counter possible plans. But no heroics, okay? Do. Not. Confront. Him."

The Jedi nodded. "Don't worry, sis, I will make sure to let you in on the fun when I cut him to pieces", she grinned, the fear from the Scions' hideout apparently forgotten. Immediately after that declaration, the Barsen'thor vanished in golden swirls and became one with the shadows around them. HK saluted and moved towards his own objective, leaving the two Sith Lords alone for a moment.

"By the way, where's Senya?" Raven asked. She'd expected to see the knight at the ship, but had been disappointed. Lana opened her mouth to answer, but cursed instead as a drop ship closed in.

That aura... the young assassin knew it well. The cat-like nightmare sorceress was close by. The inquisitor knew who was on the ship, and tried to calculate the best course of action. Could she beat Vaylin by herself, and would Lana be able to reach Koth in time? Or would it be better to team up against the dark daughter of Zakuul, and hope that they won fast enough to help the Zakuulan renegade captain? Or could she still call back Lea...

A flash of Force power, a small shake of the walkway, and Vaylin stood on the ground before them. Apparently, she'd just dropped the twenty-something metres through the sky, because why not, she obviously had the power to do so...

"You weren't very nice to my brother", she purred, and reminded the young Sith inquisitor profoundly of an Alderaanian cat again. "Now we have to kill your friends."

Well, one thing was certain, the assassin mused. She wouldn't be intimidated by less than hundred pound of crazy Force power and bad attitude, wrapped with a ridiculous costume into a tasteless package.

"Arcann was just a warm-up", Raven yawned, and saw the sorceress' pupils contract with rage for a moment. But her mask was back in place quickly.

"You've got a crush on me", Vaylin smiled, and the inquisitor wasn't sure if she was joking, or if she really meant it. It didn't matter in the slightest, however. Raven ignited her lightsaber, ready to test if the insane brat had inherited her father's immortality, when a well-aimed Force wave threw her about thirty metres back and through a door. Luckily, it had been open.

"Hey! Watch it!" the assassin complained, but stopped as she saw that it hadn't been Lana who'd hit her. Senya stood between her and Vaylin, having appeared out of nowhere, and radiating a mixture of worry and steely determination.

"Go. This is a family matter", the former knight declared, and after a second, Raven nodded, just as Lana hurried towards her.

"Koth and HK need us. Let's go", the blonde Sith Lord shouted, and together, the two Sith started to run in earnest.

* * *

 _Asylum, Streets, 5 AEA_

Raven didn't know how many more surprises she could take, but to her astonishment, their way towards Koth was relatively uneventful. The occasional group of Skytroopers which they met soon became expensive metallic waste, and nothing more. And Vortena himself wasn't hurt, though his news could have been better.

"Arcann locked down the whole network. He controls turbolifts, blast doors, docking clamps, you name it", the captain explained. "We need the main override station. That's on top of the Control Spar. I sent HK to clear a path."

Breathing in relief, Raven nodded. She'd started to worry for a moment when she didn't find the HK unit at Koth's side. A chirp of Koth's holocom later, the assassin was finally seeing the face... head... of her trusty companion again.

"Accommodation: I have left you a trail of meatbags to follow, master", the droid stated cheerfully, and Raven couldn't help but smile despite his casual ruthlessness. Right now, she was fully ready to leave a trail of enemy meatbags as well.

Nodding, Koth busied himself with the console before him. "I'm securing all doors to the Control Spar. No more meatba... ugh, reinforcements... will get in. But someone has to hold this choke point."

"That's my job", Lana said, voice steady, and grasped her saber. "It's up to you and Koth."

Agreeing that this was the most sensible course of action, Raven turned and made her way towards the door. She still noticed a moment between Koth and Lana, though, not much more than a look and a nod. If they ever got out of this mess, she really needed to ask her friend just what was going on exactly between her and the world-eater-worshipping captain.

* * *

 _Asylum, Shuttle, 5 AEA_

Flying a shuttle through the bombardment of the Eternal Fleet wasn't the easiest job around, but somehow, Koth managed. He could still talk while doing so, which was astonishing, but not very clever given the things he had to say.

"Emperor Valkorion talks to you, right? He have any advice?"

Fighting the sudden urge to hit her pilot, Raven counted slowly till ten until she opened her mouth.

"He's giving me the silent treatment", she answered truthfully, though she withheld the probable reason for it. Bog apple acid cramp meditation had its uses.

Koth considered it for a moment.

"He's probably got a lot on your mind", he answered, and sounded way more careful than the last time he'd breached the topic. Still, he couldn't let it rest.

"The Emperor is a great man", Koth said, and there was a hint of a plea in his voice. Hope that she'd understand or at least consider his point of view. "If anyone can help you take down Arcann, it's him."

Breathing deeply, Raven thought about her next words carefully. She didn't want to argue, not now, but there were some things she just couldn't do or pretend to consider. Not now, not ever.

"His power comes at a high price", she answered slowly. "I won't be in debt to him."

Looking up, hope filled Koth's eyes. "Debts can be paid. Do what's best for the galaxy."

And that was the proverbial last drop.

Dark nightmare stones. Red blood on the ground and on a broken set of armour that appeared darker than it used to in the murky gloom. Burning banners with the Imperial Crest. Half reality, half carbonite nightmares. And the dead winds of New Ziost's dusty grey marshes drowning any other sound.

"The best thing for the galaxy is destroying that monster once and for all", Raven said, and her voice sounded uncannily calm in her own ears. She'd skipped standard rage and hatred, and was no swimming in the ice-cold waters beyond. Electricity was playing around her fists, but she didn't care any longer.

"And the only debt that will be paid is the one he owes me, for destroying the planet that I called home for a decade, just to fuel his insane lust for overwhelming power, and for the friends and allies that I have lost to him. I will not ask you to understand, or to change your opinion about your personal hero, but I will tell you this, and urge you to listen: Repeat this suggestion when Lea is around, and she will likely try to kill you."

Waiting for a moment to really get his attention, Raven smiled a completely humourless smile.

"But that's not what's important. The point is that I will not defend you any longer against my sister's wrath, not even for her own sake."

* * *

"Reminder: The Gravestone remains under siege."

HK's holocom voice cut through the awkward silence, and the shuttle landed shortly after. The cold still shielded Raven's mind, made her only focus on the task at hand, but a small voice that sounded particularly like her usual conscience whispered that Koth had hopefully got the message.

"The main override control station's just ahead", Vortena commented, as if on cue. Careful, but calm again. A truce, for now. Or... a peace offer?

"Whatever happens, I want you to know... it's an honour to fight alongside you", he added, sincerity in his words and face, and finally, the ice casing around Raven's mind got cracks.

"Follow me", she said, with less warmth than usually, but calmer nonetheless. "I'll get you through this alive."

Testing the waters, Koth gave a small half-smile. "You stole my battle cry..." he mock-complained, and took point. "Let's find that droid."

* * *

 _Asylum, Control Spar, 5 AEA_

Following the trail of metallic Skytrooper remnants, Raven and Koth finally reached HK. And just in time – the droid was facing severe opposition. With the help of an additional blaster and a dual lightsaber, though, this opposition soon became part of the landscape as well.

The assassin's communicator beeped again. Somehow Raven just knew that she wouldn't like the news.

"There's a whole battalion of Zakuul Knights headed your way", Lana warned, but the assassin was simply glad that her friend had done the sensible thing and had not confronted them alone.

"They're onto our plan", she commented, shrugging. It had only been a matter of time, after all; some of the Knights of Zakuul still had brains to work with.

Switching the channel as another signal came in, it was now her sister who had equally unpleasant news.

"Still can't find Arcann, neither on the security grid nor with the Force. He's vanished", the Barsen'thor warned. "I'm coming towards your position now. Assume that he suspects the truth, and that he'll appear at the worst possible moment to try and thwart our rescue attempt."

Raven clenched her teeth.

"You're probably right", she answered, "but we're out of options and nearly out of time. I'll try and see whether I can sneak to the master console; if Arcann isn't there yet, I'll free the ship and return as quickly as possible."

Nodding his consent, Koth started to prepare some mines and traps.

"Me and HK will handle those Knights. You'll be faster and safer on your own when you walk through the shadows", he concluded, and the assassin agreed with his assessment. "Whatever it takes, get the Gravestone flying."

Raven watched the Zakuulan for a second. She hadn't forgotten their recent conflict, but she hadn't forgotten his steadfast help, either.

"Be ready to run when I give the word", she ordered, and allowed a hint of warmth to creep back into her voice. "Don't get reckless."

"Me? Never", Koth smiled, picking up her changed mood. "The droid? No promises."

HK tilted his head as he took cover in the shadows.

"Commentary: I am programmed for self-restrained", he said, and his orange eyes blinked. " _Usually_."

* * *

 _Asylum, Control Room, 5 AEA_

The control room. Finally. And before her, only a short distance away, the master console which held the key to freedom. Still, Raven hesitated before crossing the entrance. No enemy was visible, not even a token Skytrooper guard, but the Force was convulsing around her again. By now, she had more than just a vague idea what that meant. Arcann may be able to hide himself, but he couldn't hide the fact that something was hidden. And since his sister was still busy fighting Senya at the Gravestone, he was the only enemy who stood a chance of evading her trained senses when she was actively looking for danger.

So... risk assessment. Mechanical traps? Unlikely. From what she'd seen, Raven would bet anything that the current Emperor of Zakuul liked his conflicts close and personal.

Ambush at the entrance? Also unlikely, at least if she judged his character correctly. Far more likely was an attack from behind when she'd just reached her objective.

Hide and seek, then. The assassin dived deeper into the protecting shadows and cursed the fact that her target was so obvious.

Was it _really_ obvious? She only needed the docking clamps released, by any means necessary. A controlled shut-down would do the trick, but so would a power shortage combined with an overload here at the centre. Raven breathed deeply, and readied herself. Best to fight on her terms, not on the cyborg prince's. She concentrated, and threw a ball of charged Force energy directly at the console.

"Docking clamps have been released. I will prepare the ship for launch."

SCORPIO's words were welcome, but the assassin had no time to revel in her achievement. Instead, she was busy evading a thrown lightsaber, which filled the chamber with the colour of the Zakuulan sun.

Her calculations had been correct, though – Arcann had expected her to move towards the console. He was standing in striking distance from the terminal, eye blazing, and the attack had come half a second later than the assassin had guessed. Apparently, she had surprised him, but he was adapting fast.

"We have unfinished business", he growled, and succeeded in hitting her with a Force Blast of his own. Flying through the air again, a small voice in Raven's head commented that at least Vaylin hadn't pushed her around lately. The former Emperor was doing it constantly, albeit more figuratively, and both Senya and now Arcann had opted for the literal variant.

To the three hells with all of them but the former Zakuulan Knight.

Jumping up just in time, the young Sith was able to block Arcann's next attack, and to throw him back a step or two. Suddenly, she felt his surprise. Did he really believe that he was immortal?

"No one is invincible", Raven said calmly, but the ice around her soul got thicker again as she stared into the Zakuulan leader's glowing eye and remembered the Spire and what had happened there. "You will fall."

"You will hang on my wall for eternity", the warrior before her retorted, and the assassin couldn't help but observe that his obsession with her was starting to get a bit creepy. She only hoped that it was due to the spirit of his father that was residing inside her head right now.

Otherwise... the implications were unpleasant.

* * *

"Request: Die, meatbag!"

Raven had never been as thankful for HK's appearance as in this moment. Fighting off Arcann as he closed in again, she somehow succeeded in returning to the walkway outside. At least here the light was better, and perhaps she could find a way to escape...

Another Force blast hit her, and the young assassin fell to the ground.

"Master!"

The inquisitor felt the hostile Force energy gather again, and struggled to rise, but knew that she'd be too late. At least the Gravestone was free...

"Self-sacrifice!"

The physical pain she'd expected didn't come, but the sound of a horrible explosion ringed through Raven's head. Not terrible because of its volume, but because of what had caused it. Another form of pain filled her. HK, her reliable bodyguard, lay on the ground, burning, and didn't move any more.

Staring towards her fallen companion in shock, Raven was dimly aware that she should be grateful for the fact that Arcann liked to pose. He was walking towards her now, his movements bordering on sauntering, tilting his half-masked head slightly…

"I can't wait to meet all your friends."

It did take the assassin a moment to fully understand what her enemy had just said. But when his words registered with her own consciousness, red flames of purest hatred burned away the shock and all doubts she might have had. All control and all pretence lost, the inquisitor grasped her saber and struck with all her power. The figure before her, only visible as an outline through the haze in her mind, had hurt her severely by taking a companion from her, and now she would hurt it back. No mercy, no second-guessing, no morality. It would burn. It would bleed…

Time froze.

"My son is too strong. You need my power. Only together can we strike him down..."

Raven was distantly aware that somebody was talking, but it could also have been the sound of a waterfall for all she cared. The only thing that was important was the shape before her, and ripping out its throat.

Suddenly, movement was reintroduced to the world. Pressing forward with all her rage-fuelled power, the Sith assassin considered too late that opening her side to a counter attack was a tremendously stupid move. Shock at this mistake, and at her own behaviour, finally succeeded in pulling her out of her fury – just in time to see the yellow blade hit her body.

" _No!_ "

A scream. Familiar voice. Her own? No. Her sister… yes, she had a sister. Like moving through a nightmare, all but paralysed by pain and even unable to shout, Raven looked down as if in slow motion. There was blood, and lots of it, but also remnants of golden light. Arcann's lightsaber had hit her, but not as fatally as she'd thought; it had been partly blocked and deviated from its intended path. It still hurt like all three Chandrilan Hells combined, though. Falling to the ground like a puppet with broken strings, the inquisitor felt another wave of Force energy rush over her head. The Zakuulan Emperor was hit by about every movable object of sufficient weight that had once stood on the walkway segment, and the last crate succeeded in pushing him over the edge into the hidden depths below.

Another burst of golden light, and she felt her sister's presence at her side. A moment later, healing Force energy was all but pumped into her, which seemed to make the pain even worse.

"Moira…"

Raven couldn't place her sister's tone, as her whole mind appeared to shut down slowly. Some words still filtered through the fog in her brain, something familiar…

"There is no emotion, there is peace."

Strange. Had she ever heard her sister recite the Jedi Code in earnest?

"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."

The assassin felt that her body was being lifted up. Something hard and metallic touched her leg slightly, but that sensation passed quickly. Bronze metal, partly scorched? It made no sense.

"There is no passion, there is serenity."

Movement. Wind on her face. The sounds of fast steps on the walkway.

"There is no chaos, there is harmony."

Lightning sounded, likely a whole storm. A strange aura... foreign, yet not. The smell of ozone. Cold. And screams, but vague. Not important. Neither her sister, nor her friends. And still, movement. They hadn't stopped, hadn't even slowed down.

"There is no death, there is the Force."

Finally, Raven understood. Lea wasn't cursing, or cracking jokes like usually. Instead, she was taking refuge in the comforting mantra of her Jedi childhood. Which probably meant that she, herself, was close to death.

"There is no emotion…"

Blackness rose, claimed the assassin's mind, but took the pain with it.

* * *

 _Gravestone_ _,_ _Sickbay_ _, 5 AEA_

Raven awoke with the smell of antiseptics in her nose, and the slippery sensation of too much Kolto on her skin. Feigning unconsciousness, her mind and her senses went into overdrive – where was the next weapon, how many enemies, where was she and how had she gotten here...

"Moira. You're safe. Try not to move hastily, you're still in bad shape."

The assassin relaxed and opened her eyes, as she recognized the voice of her sister. Besides, nobody else in the whole universe called her by her given name.

"Easy, easy. Your body went through quite an ordeal", Lana added. Raven was glad to see that her friend was alive and well. "We weren't sure you'd ever wake up."

It took the young inquisitor quite an effort not to check her abdomen at once, despite certain knowledge that she'd only see bandages. What she feared were the memories of the open wound. While not being afraid of seeing blood, that gaping hole at her side had been another story entirely. There was something else she was afraid of, though, and that issue couldn't be postponed for later.

"How many others?" the young Sith asked, and dreaded the answer. "Hurt or lost, I mean?"

This time it was Koth who answered.

"I lost some crew back on Asylum, but the Gravestone is safe. If Senya hadn't saved the day, it would've been a lot worse. Len can't stop thanking her. It's gotten embarrassing."

He stopped a moment, as if to debate with himself if he should continue, then shrugged and tilted his head. "I still don't trust Senya, but she was there when it mattered."

"I always will be."

Smiling at the sound of the familiar voice, Raven looked up and into the blue-grey x-ray eyes. Even though Senya had insisted on fighting Vaylin on her own, the Sith had been worried for her companion. It hadn't been the end then, for neither of them. Movements in the Force still told of the very vivid rage of the Eternal Empire's High Justice.

"You know about HK, then..." Lana interrupted, and the relief the inquisitor had felt turned to sorrow. Machine or not, the droid had saved her life more than once, and cheered her up almost constantly with his very special outlook.

"From what I saw, Arcann destroyed his body completely", Raven sighed. "But if his personality matrix was copied to a memory core..."

It was grasping at straws, the assassin knew that, but it still hurt again when Lana shook her head.

"It wasn't. He always said he didn't want to live forever."

Pain was clearly visible in the blonde Sith's yellow eyes as well.

"The HK unit was..."

"… a hero to the end", Lea continued SCORPIO's sentence, and Raven noticed a faint golden glow around the droid who preferred to pretend not to be one. Despite everything she couldn't help but smile as the Barsen'thor bowed forward slightly towards the metallic entity. The Sith could have sworn that she'd read the words 'scrap metal' on her sister's lips. The expression of purest, but muted, outrage was clearly visible on the ex-Intelligence machine.

Senya stepped forward, confusion edged into every line of her face.

"Lana told us this all started when Heskal summoned you", the knight half-stated, half-asked, and the inquisitor wondered if there was any way to soften the blow. If there was, she couldn't think of it.

"Heskal's dead", Raven answered slowly, seeing again the moment in her mind when the his torch eyes had gone out for the final time. "He's the one who brought Arcann to Asylum. Said it was destiny."

The last word hung like a dark cloud over the whole group. Senya winced as if she'd hit her.

"And the other Scions?" she still asked, carefully, obviously trying to remain calm.

The young Sith shrugged her shoulders. "He claimed they're still on our side. They'll find us when the time's right."

She'd do her best to prevent them from dying, Heskal and his visions be damned to the deepest depths of the most unpleasant Chandrilan or Corellian Hell.

A sound not unlike an incredulous snort came from the side.

"With allies like them, we don't need enemies..." Lana grumbled, and her sister added some chosen curses. Then, silence stretched between them, until Koth cleared his throat.

"If we're done depressing each other", Vortena remarked, "how about sharing the good news?"

Good news? Well, they had survived, Raven thought, what else was there to celebrate?

"The Battle of Asylum showed the galaxy that Zakuul isn't invincible", Lana explained, and suddenly, there was hope in her voice again. "My contacts in the Core Worlds have thrown their support behind us. Behind you. You're about to become the leader of an alliance dedicated to bringing down the Eternal Throne once and for all."

The young Sith gaped. "Is that supposed to be a joke? I got stabbed, mocked, and miraculously rescued. How does that qualify me to be a leader?"

Next to her, Lea shook her head. "I knew you wouldn't like it, but try to be objective, sis. You are basically _the_ one symbol of hope against Arcann's tyranny – resurrected from the carbonite grave, the unyielding fighter for freedom and justice. More than just a few Jedi or Republic troopers trust you after your heroics on Yavin 4, even five years after, and a good part of the Sith Empire would follow you in a heartbeat if you only called for them. First and foremost your old Sphere, of course, but there are also others. Many of them, in fact. You do have a gift of inspiring loyalty, even though you never asked to be a leader. Or perhaps it is because of it."

"Everybody is waiting on a planet called Odessen", Lana continued. "If you're up for it, we should say hello."

Raven had been increasingly aware of her stomach during their talk, but not because of any lingering pain from her wound. She was simply reminded of the fact that the last meal had been quite some time ago.

"Well, I'd like something to eat before", the young Sith commented. "Apart from that, fine. Let's not keep them waiting."

* * *

Author's Note: Again, and as always, a heartfelt thank you to all who read, and especially to those who take the time to review.


	17. The Apprentice

_Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 5 BEA_

"My lord! You're awake!"

Raven twitched at the unexpected sound, and groaned when the little movement made colourful lights explode behind her eyelids. Blinking seemed to cost more strength than she possessed at the moment, but somehow, she still managed. The light almost blinded her, but now, at least, the young assassin considered it possible that the speaker before her was telling the truth. Perhaps she was indeed awake.

But a lord? What was that all about?

Memory ransacked some of its more recent entries and found a name. And then another.

"Kaal? Corrin?"

Apprentices. Zash's appren… no. _Her_ apprentices. Or had it all been a nightmare?

"We need to hurry out of here", the older one of the two apprentices advised. He still seemed unbelievably young towards Raven, when he looked at her with his large, brown eyes in his pale face, radiating a mixture of fear and purest worry that bordered on panic.

Still, the young inquisitor couldn't make sense of the whole situation.

"What happened to me?" she asked, and found out that her throat didn't just feel like she had spent a month gargling with Mantellian shrapnel – she also sounded as if she'd done so.

"Thanaton tried to kill you", Kaal answered, and Corrin next to him nodded. The girl was even paler than her friend. "Look, I'll explain when we get back to the ship."

Both apprentices helped Raven back to her feet, and even managed to revive Khem Val. The Dashade looked as if he had been through all Corellian hells and back again; if she looked similar, it was a wonder that neither Kaal nor Corrin had started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

At that thought, Raven had to pull on the Force in earnest to prevent a serious coughing fit, which would have likely sent her to the ground again. She wasn't a friend of self-fulfilling prophecies, especially if they were of the embarrassing kind.

On the way back to the spaceport, Raven tried to open her eyes as little as possible, while being sprawled over the back seat of the small shuttle and being shepherded by Corrin. She only hoped that Kaal would land as close to her trusty Fury starship as possible. Pictures blinked in her mind, making her hiss now and then when an especially vivid memory reappeared out of the murky depths of her subconsciousness.

 _Lord._

Oh yes, she was now a lord. Thanks to her not-dead-not-alive ex-master, who tormented her favourite Shadow Killer within his own thoughts right now.

 _Ex-masters._

Not only Zash, but also Thanaton. The thought of the latter made Raven ball her fists. The worst part wasn't even that he'd tried to trick and kill her – lots of people had already made that mistake. No, it was the fact that the young Sith couldn't understand his motivations. He'd all but praised her, acknowledged that she wasn't like her master, even admitted that she hadn't really done anything wrong, and still tried to destroy her, because he believed it to be his solemn duty.

 _Respectful cremation._

Raven nearly emptied the pitiful contents of her all but empty stomach on the rainy streets of Kaas City below her at that thought. It was the last thing that she'd heard, after being hit by Thanaton's most severe Force attack. Deadly cold had crushed through her shield, had circumvented the power of the ghosts she'd bound to defend herself, and nearly finished her…

 _Bound ghosts._

The assassin's stomach lurched again as she remembered the task Thanaton had given her, the ancient grave, the advice of her ancestor, ghostly Lord Kallig, and then the second tomb and the ritual of Force Walking. The cup, the poison, another fit of unconsciousness…

And then power. And even more of it when she'd bound the second ghost to herself, albeit with its permission. Both Ergast (or perhaps his servant, Raven wasn't that sure) and Andru were quiet at the moment, but the inquisitor was sure that this wouldn't be the last she'd ever heard of them.

 _What now?_

Raven spent the rest of the journey towards the spaceport enclave in the lethal jungle pondering this question. The main problem was that she didn't even have enough information to assess the situation, not to mention making a reasonable plan. How much strength would be necessary to defend herself successfully against a Sith so strong as her would-be master? How much ghosts could she find and bind without risking to lose herself? How much time did she have until the arch-traditionalist discovered her survival? And if he did, would she be at war with the whole Sith Empire, or just with Thanaton and his servants?

And even if it was just Thanaton and his servants, how much difference did that make when her adversary was nearly on the Dark Council himself and had legions of followers who could track her wherever she went and follow her every move on the Imperial Homeworlds?

The situation was looking grim, there was no other way of putting it. But when the spaceport came into sight, and Raven's mind was nearly working properly again, the young Sith realized that she might indeed have another option available. It would all but certainly drive her new apprentices back to Thanaton, severely alienate Andronikos, and probably break her bond to Khem, but if the worst came to pass and she found that there was no place left for her in the Empire, she might be able to claim a new life for herself in the Republic.

 _Sister._

Raven was still unsure about the motivations of the golden-haired Jedi, but if Lea was indeed honest and did care about the welfare of her sibling, she might be convinced to help the young Sith defect without risking to be shot on sight by some over-eager Republic troopers.

* * *

 _Fury, Space en route to Taris, 5 BEA_

"Glad to see you're doing better, Sith." Even Andronikos appeared to be concerned; that was a first, as far as Raven remembered. The pirate seemed to notice the inquisitor's surprise, but only shrugged.

"Hey, I really thought you were gone. Guy could get trampled by your over-fed fluffy Alderaanian nerf and your borrowed Tatooine desert cows simultaneously, and not get knocked around as bad as you."

He sighed, and busied himself with some Kolto pads, which he distributed generously along Raven's arm. Thanaton's Force ritual had left some wounds, but with a bit of luck, there wouldn't be any permanent damage.

Not that it mattered, really; after what had happened to her face, outsized vanity wasn't something the young Sith suffered from. Still, nerve damage was a valid concern, and the newest Lord of the Sith Empire really wanted to avoid it.

"Look, there's something else I gotta say, so please don't laugh, okay?"

Raven wondered whether she'd fallen asleep for a moment and was dreaming all of a sudden, since Andronikos' voice sounded weirdly soft without his usual mixture of latent aggression or irony in it. Vulnerable, even.

"I'm not trying to hit on you, Sith, or anything similar – you know I'm not exactly over Casey, anyway, and we both are too different in our general way of seeing the world for a relationship to work, even if we were interested in each other. But that doesn't stop me from caring about you. As a friend. In fact, you and Casey are the only friends that I have left in this whole blasted universe, and I don't want to lose either of you. So try to pay a little more attention to your own well-being for a change, will you? For my sake? Stop the ol' pirate from worrying?"

Unable to stop the corners of her mouth from twitching slightly, Raven stopped trying to hide her emotions.

"I'll try, you know that", she whispered, and allowed her head to fall against Andronikos' shoulder next to her.

 _Friends_.

She could get used to this.

After what felt like an eternity, Revel cleared his throat.

"One other thing, Sith. If I'm guessing right, and I think I do, you're pondering whether it's worth it to leave this whole Imperial mess behind you. That's not meant as criticism, it's just logical thinking. But please don't just throw yourself into the Jedi's maws. I've seen enough bright young hopefuls turn into brainwashed, dead-as-stone emotionless fleshy robots during my time with the Republic, and way more creepy shiny Force-nursed kids on my one or two random jobs involving the Jedi Temple than I ever wanted to see. No idea how your sister survived that with her soul intact, but I guess being crazy offers some protection. Still, better fight and risk dying than sacrificing everything you are to keep breathing a little longer."

Raven looked out of the windows, into the depth of deep space. Stars shimmered there in the darkness, like shiny jewels on black velvet, far away, blinking at her, their light on an endless journey from one end of the universe to the other. She wondered whether there were any civilizations on those strange planets in foreign galaxies, circling forgotten stars, if there were people there, fighting their own fights, dreaming their dreams, living their lives with families, loved ones…

 _More than all the stars in the universe._

"Some Jedi may be as dead as stone, emotionally, but Sith are even colder than that", the assassin answered, and heard the winds of Korriban howl in her memory's ears. "And Lea is different. Whatever else she is, whatever her motivations, whatever her plans, she isn't a stone. Anything but stone."

If she concentrated hard, she could nearly see the figure of a silver hare among the stars.

A sigh came, from somewhere next to her.

"I know. Your sister is the exception, though. The one-in-a-million Jedi. Just like you, with the Sith. You sure that the data on your parents is correct, by the way? I mean, I do get that they were not animal shelter activists, but at least one of them just had to have a healthy amount of rebel genes deep inside."

Andronikos sighed again, and bent forward to grasp a bottle from the table. After the first irritated discussions that basically boiled down to 'What do you mean by 'There is no alcohol on this ship', really?', the ex-Republic captain had made certain additions to their stockpiles.

"Perhaps we could talk compromise, then. What about going pirate? I have the contacts, you have the power, and you could even go the nice-pirate route. First Sith pirate with a heart of gold in the known universe."

Raven's mouth twitched again, but this time, it was a sign of humour.

"Wouldn't I need a parrot?" she asked, unable to help herself. "It might alienate Khem."

Now Andronikos was smirking, too.

"Well, you might try sticking some colourful feathers to his 'armour' and pass him off as a bird", he answered, "but it might be less dangerous to take on the whole Sith Empire."

* * *

 _Taris, Imperial Base, 5 BEA_

Taris stank. Sure, one could probably speak of 'olfactory unpleasantness', Raven mused, while looking around and wondering if the worst was the waste that was glowing in the dark, its smell, the soft sounds of rakghoul paws in the wet dirt, or the lingering feeling of uncounted deaths, destruction and general decay. But euphemism or not, the simple truth was all around them. And stinking like all Corellian and Chandrilan hells together.

Who was the genius who'd decided that building a base on unstable swamp land in a giant, gleaming toxic lake of unspeakable nastiness was a great idea? The young assassin wished him or her wholeheartedly a lifetime-long assignment on the most gruesome base of Nal Hutta.

"More toxic waste for you to wade through, master."

Making a face towards her faithful monster, the inquisitor took care to stay on the fortified paths. Even her Colicoid resistance probably had its limits, and she was just getting used to the perks of being a Sith Lord. Choking on toxins shortly after a promotion would simply be a waste.

With Andronikos assigned to slice into as many files as possible, and to guard the ship during her absence, Lord Kallig hoped that she might have more information at her disposal upon her return. For now she had no idea if there were any agents of Thanaton on Taris, or how far his influence extended about the more neutral Imperial troopers around her. She hadn't even made up her mind regarding the whole Empire-Republic-Pirate business, with the exception of ruling out a career as a privateer, no matter what Andronikos was saying. For now it actually didn't matter, though, since searching for data on a young Togruta Padawan served both purposes. The young Jedi girl was apparently the only one able to draw out the mysterious Sith ghost Raven was looking for, and simultaneously a suitable link to the whole Jedi enclave on Taris. Calling Lea hadn't been successful; apparently, the Jedi was currently busy in one of Balmorra's war zones – or at least that was what Raven understood from her sister's Trandoshian companion's rambling about 'Herald hunting and honouring Scorekeeper'.

Making contact with this girl, Ashara Zavros, was therefore a priority, regardless of the way the young Sith was going to choose in the end.

* * *

 _Taris, Rakghoul Marshes, 5 BEA_

Taris still stank. Raven had hoped that she'd get used to the smell, or that at least her nose would numb enough to stop bothering her, but even a week long inhalation of the hellish fumes hadn't be sufficient to achieve either goal. But at least the young Sith Lord had now a pretty good impression of her target's character, and no one, Sith or otherwise, had started screaming 'For Thanaton', and tried to cut her into little pieces. All in all, things were going reasonably well. The assassin had even found a holocron among the ruins of Taris, thanks to the invaluable help of Mr. Maliss, an old contact of her former master Zash, and she intended to use the technological artefact as a bargaining chip or bribe with Ashara. A friendly Sith with a gift should be enough to raise the Padawan's curiosity, and when they met in person, Raven was confident that the girl would be able to read her own intentions and sincerity correctly. She had nothing to hide, after all – the inquisitor simply wanted to talk to her masters. Depending on their reaction, she'd either ask for shelter from the Sith, or try to bind the ghost as a sign of her good will before departing peacefully. Andronikos was already informed, and not really happy about option one, but given that he was to sort of inherit the Fury in case of her defection, he couldn't really complain.

* * *

 _Taris, Swamps near the Republic Base, 5 BEA_

"A Sith who keeps her word? Now I have seen everything."

Perhaps it was the young Jedi's tone, or her gaze with the half-hidden contempt, or the constant danger of rakghoul attacks, but Raven's nerves were are little strained. Even with the vaccine running through her veins, getting bitten by one of the half-sentient monsters wasn't fun.

"Hey!" she complained, "that's not quite fair…"

Korriban's winds howled again through her memories, mockingly, cruelly, singing of the planet's red dust that was more often covered in blood than the young Sith was ready to admit. Feeling defeated and somehow more lost than ever, Raven dropped down on a fungous log, tilted her head, and met the inquisitive look of the Togruta openly.

"On second thought, that was indeed a fair assessment", the young assassin admitted freely, which earned her a lifted eyebrow from both Ashara and Andronikos. She'd opted to leave Khem guarding the ship again, since appearing with a bad-tempered Shadow Killer in tow might not make the best first impression possible. Lifting her hands in a mixture of helplessness and show of peaceful intentions, Raven looked up again and took care to speak slowly and clearly.

"Please listen. I mean you no harm, and you may certainly take the holocron to your superiors. But there is a favour I wish to ask of you. My own master wants me dead, and the only possible roads to salvation that I see lead both directly to your masters..."

* * *

 _Taris, Jedi Enclave, 5 BEA_

"I just don't get it, Sith. I really don't. I know I have said so before, but why? Didn't anybody tell you that you just don't simply walk up into a base of your mortal enemies, smile and tell the truth about your intentions, hoping that nothing bad will happen?"

Raven watched Andronikos gesture vaguely, and shrugged slightly, all the while trying not to breathe too deeply. Taris still smelled like a nasty sewer on an especially hot and sticky summer day, despite the fact that they were far away from the giant pit of toxic glowing refuse where the main Imperial base was located.

"Well, they are Jedi", she commented. "The guardians of the light would sense deception, and I do wish to request their help, so why should I lie? Ashara was quite reasonable, after all, and that despite her youth and her resentments towards the Sith. With her masters, everything should go even more smoothly."

The expression on the former pirate's face held an uncanny resemblance to pity.

"I really hope that you'll never get a reason to regret your positive outlook on life", he answered, and checked his weapons. "Anyway, we have reached our destination. And since those guards over there didn't engage us on sight, I'd guess your Padawan acquaintance has really informed her colleagues and prepared the enclave for your arrival."

* * *

Despite her demonstrative outward confidence, Raven didn't feel very comfortable while walking through the Jedi Enclave. She'd been greeted with nothing but a nod, no words or anything, and now her silent escort was growing with every step that she took while following their equally silent leader. And everywhere were these calm, strangely glowing faces... Human, Mirialan, Togruta, Twi'lek…

The young assassin actually welcomed the sight of a Miraluka now and then, for their covered eyes were less worrisome than the complete emotional void visible in many of the others.

Something else struck the inquisitor as peculiar – all of the Jedi visible were clearly fully trained members of the order, despite the fact that the enclave must house a whole number of students. She'd seen them in the data archives which had been left scattered in the swamps, after all.

Realisation hit, and the young Sith shook her head slightly. Of course the enclave was prepared for an ambush, or a trap. All the knights and consulars around her were already in battle trance, or whatever term the Pubs might use for the light-side equivalent of a Sith's rage. And the Padawans were probably somewhere deeper in the enclave, sheltered and guarded.

On some level, it was comforting to see that the light-side fighters weren't naive fools. Plus, the whole amount of people surrounding her could be seen as a compliment, as it implied a certain respect for her own strength. But despite this reasoning, Raven still felt like running away screaming.

After quite some time of uncomfortable walking, the hallway widened into a huge room. At its far end, the young Sith finally spotted someone familiar. The young Togruta Padawan, was standing there, next to a Cathar and a Human Jedi. The former held an activated holocom in his hand, and its screen showed another familiar face, with a well-known friendly smile. It seemed that Lea had finished her business, and broken her radio silence, after all. But it was Ashara who spoke first.

"There she is. The Sith who wants to speak to you, and who's interested in the ghost."

The holo figure waved her hand, and all but crashed the solemn atmosphere in the hall.

"Hey, sis. Finally gotten ready to admit that red just isn't your colour? Come to the light side, we have plenty of shades for lightsaber crystals in the sale!"

Smiling at that introduction, and suddenly feeling a lot safer, Raven took another step towards the masters.

"Please", she started, "I believe I can cleanse the enclave of the ghost, and I actually would like to…"

Something in the face of the Cathar made Raven stop, and freeze.

"With all due respect, Barsen'thor", he spoke, and his voice was cold. "The Jedi Enclave is no place for Sith, and this one gives me an uneasy feeling."

Lea's smile disappeared, and was replaced by an incredulous frown.

"You can't be serious, Master Ryen. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. Let go of your prejudice and…"

"I won't have dark side rituals performed in this enclave!"

And if that alone hadn't been bad enough, a loud alarm sounded, and a mechanical voice alerted everybody to intruders in the base.

"No! Everybody, stay calm…"

But the Barsen'thor's voice was lost in the chaos, as both Master Ryen and Master Ocera drew their lightsabers against Raven, while most of the other Jedi ran towards the exits to meet the new threat. Ashara hadn't engaged, a small part of the young Sith's mind whispered, while the rest of her consciousness was busy fighting for her life. Instead, the Padawan was pressed towards the back wall, pushed out of harm's way by one of the older Jedi, and appeared to be slightly dazed.

"Don't shoot to kill, Andronikos!"

The words were out before Raven could really think about them, but she meant them nevertheless. This was all wrong. They shouldn't be fighting…

Catching one of her opponents by surprise, the assassin managed to knock out the first of the masters. The other soon fell to the ground as well, as she managed to overpower his mental defences by a nice little mind trick. Since all other Jedi had left to combat whatever opponent had entered the base, Raven finally found a second to breathe.

"You killed them! You killed the Masters!"

One second to breathe, but not more. Shaking her head, the assassin turned towards the Padawan, who was displaying quite a lot of signs of a severe shock.

"They are unconscious, not dead", Raven corrected, all the while wondering why she was feeling quite fine herself, despite the trap. "And I am sorry if I hurt them, but they attacked me. I understand you're upset, but we still have a ghost and a potential invasion to deal with."

Something in her tone must have gotten through to the young Jedi, for Ashara calmed down visibly.

"You're right. There is no emotion. There's peace."

Encouragingly, Raven nodded, ignoring Andronikos' muttering behind her, and watched as the young Togruta looked around.

"Perhaps we should deal with the invasion first…" the girl remarked, just as the Sith heard heavy footsteps and felt approaching darkness. And a familiar aura.

"My lord, you may be truly clever and resourceful, but was it too much to ask to clear out the Jedi for us?"

Elios Maliss entered the room, disgruntled, together with two Sith guards. His face was slightly bloody, and his previously tidy uniform was tattered and dirty. Still, Raven's sympathy towards Zash's former ally was very limited by now.

"If this is what I think it is, know that I don't take kindly to betrayal", she warned. But her adversary was obviously not in the mood to listen.

"Darth Thanaton made a better offer", he gloated, "he's made me a lord. Unfortunately, he's also asked that you be executed. My regrets."

Typical. Raven wasn't even surprised any more. She tilted her head slightly, assessing the situation.

"Ashara? Please duck. This might get messy. And Andronikos? Shoot to kill, okay?"

Three dead Sith attackers, a ghostly discussion and a spirit deal later, Raven had to pick up herself from the floor yet again. But it had been worth it; the additional power running through her veins was nearly tangible. What now?

"What happens now?"

A small, insecure voice echoed the Sith's thoughts, and the inquisitor stared directly into a pair of sky-blue eyes in a white-golden face. Raven looked around again, at the unconscious Jedi Masters, at the Sith corpses, and the empty hall, and made her decision. There didn't seem to be a place here for her, after all; somehow, she'd always known that. Perhaps that was why she hadn't been surprised or disappointed by Ashara's masters' distrust. Nor was there a place for her in the Empire that Thanaton saw. But she didn't want to change who she was, did neither want to repress her emotions, nor to dive into darkness to win the help of other traditional Sith to combat Thanaton. And that meant that she would have to change the whole galaxy, if need be. She'd need more power herself for this endeavour to even stand a chance, but also more non-traditional allies. Or, if at all possible, even friends.

"Help me use my power to serve the light", Raven asked, and watched as the doubts in Ashara's face turned to something else. Surprise? Perhaps, on some level, realisation.

"I guess I can't return to the Jedi after this, can I?" the Togruta asked, but it didn't sound bitter. It was more like acknowledging a decision that had been made aeons ago.

"Fine. I'll come. But I won't go against the Jedi teachings."

Out of the corners of her eyes, Raven saw Andronikos shake his head in disbelief.

"There is the easy way, there is the hard way… and then there is your way", the pirate commented, but he sounded somewhat resigned while doing so.

* * *

 _Fury_ _,_ _Orbit of Taris_ _, 5 BEA_

Raven eyed the objects in front of her dubiously. Challenges were a part of a Sith's life, and she was used to deadly dangers, but this... Perhaps she'd finally have to admit that she'd discovered a task that was beyond her skill set.

Impossible. Giving up was no option at all, not now, not ever. There had to be a way to deal with this. She'd just have to find it. A little bit of research could bring much-needed intel on this special adversary...

"Master?"

The young inquisitor winced, feeling like caught red-handed, which wasn't that far from the truth. Her palms were dripping with red fruit sap, and the kitchen looked like a battlefield. Impossible as it was to hide the whole mess from her new apprentice, Raven just hoped that she hadn't gamed away all the respect she'd won with the Togruta Jedi in a single moment.

Ashara coughed slightly.

"If this is another special Sith ritual, master, then I don't want to disturb you. But if it's just about opening these Tarisian Sweet Roots without recolouring all the walls, then it's best to put a small knife over here, and press against these ridges there. Now all it takes is a little pull. See?"

The fruit opened without further issues, and the Sith Lord felt the blood rise into her cheeks. Trying to overplay her insecurity, she rubbed her neck, only to realize that she'd now succeeded in spreading the dark red slushy pulp even further. Raven had to give it to Ashara, though – the Padawan wasn't chuckling. She could feel her apprentice call on the Force, though, likely to prevent a laughing fit, but she was glad for the effort nonetheless.

"The advice is appreciated", the inquisitor murmured, and made a mental node to stick to dishes she actually knew how to cook in the future. Now Ashara was really smiling, but there was no malice on the Togruta's face.

"Glad I could help", she answered, and sounded a bit like she had on the training vids the inquisitor had found on Taris – self-confident, but calmer. They'd known each other for not more than a few days, but the Padawan was adjusting rapidly to her new surroundings. Raven had gotten the impression that Ashara had never really fit in with the Jedi, similar to how she herself had always been ad odds with the Sith.

"If you don't mind, what were you trying to do, my lord?"

Raven sighed. "I did tell you that you don't have to call me 'master' or 'my lord', didn't I? Anyway, I wanted to make some fruit salad. We received the supplies from the Imperial Base that I requested, and after the goods had passed the security scans, I thought I might try to surprise you with a little welcome dinner. That didn't turn out so well, as you can see."

Ashara lifted her hand to her mouth to at least partly hide her growing smile.

"I think it turned out great so far, my lord", she answered. "But as we are allies now, perhaps I could back you up and cut the rest of the roots, while you finish the berries over there?"

For a while, Sith and Jedi worked in peaceful silence side by side. As the dessert was finished, though, Ashara spoke again.

"What else are you working for, my lord? Aside from trying to survive the attacks of your master, and making me feel welcome, what for a future do you see? What vision do you have for this galaxy?"

Raven looked up from the colourful bowl before her and watched the earnest face of her newest apprentice for a second.

"I want the freedom to choose my own path, to follow my own passions and emotions without having to apologize for feeling mercy or compassion", she answered, deciding that Ashara had earned more than a few stupid jokes as an answer. "I want to end the Empire's cruelty, which I suffered from myself, but without slaughtering half of the galaxy. For now, I try to walk in the light, and transform the Empire from within wherever and whenever I can. That's all I can promise."

The young Togruta spread her arms, hope fighting with realism, and giving birth to confusion.

"But into what? You can't change the dark side. How do you propose to change an Empire rooted in it?"

Nodding, Raven grasped some of the left-over berries and swallowed some.

"I don't really know yet", she admitted. "I'm hoping that by finding other like-minded Sith, and by exemplifying the strength of the light path through my own life, I might cut some of these dark roots, and turn parts of the Empire around. And yes, I'm aware that this sounds pretty naïve, but that's all I can think of at the moment. That's actually why I wanted you at my side. A new perspective, new counsel. I wish and need your guidance, not only with these Tarisian roots."

Tilting her head, the Togruta took some of the berries as well.

"I will not go against the Jedi teachings, or my conscience, but I'll do what I can."

* * *

 _Fury, Orbit of Taris, 5 BEA_

Another week of recharging their mental batteries, resupplying the Fury, doing some jobs for the Empire here and there to make some money in between their larger missions, hunting rakghouls in the swampy marshes of Taris, and waiting for a new breakthrough regarding their ghost hunt. And still no attack from Thanaton, or one of his hirelings. Perhaps Raven's worries had been unfounded, and the Sith Lord wasn't as all-powerful as she had been led to believe, after all. Well, she certainly wasn't about to complain. With some time on her hands, she'd even pondered to call Lea again, but had chickened out at the last moment due to a severe case of not knowing what to say. Sorry for giving your friends on Taris the migraine of the century, but those narrow-minded petty old swamp paddlers forced me to? In their own way, those Jedi had been as bad as Thanaton, albeit with a slightly better excuse for their actions.

So the inquisitor took some time to go hunting with Khem Val, and didn't stop until the Dashade himself declared that he was fully sated for once. She also took Andronikos for a stealth trip into the Republic base, and downloaded a wealth of top-secret information from their most secure data bases, without giving the Pubs so much as a single clue of their presence. With this data, she and Ashara secretly helped out some Republic colonists, who were threatened by a mental Sith Beast Lord and her two tamed Jurgorans. Whatever that savage's plan, this needless, senseless and pointless cruelty and bloodshed was precisely what Raven hated most about the Empire. The same reasoning made Lord Kallig stop a bloody attack on the main Republic space port. The young Sith warrior in charge of the attack was a crazy mixture of bad manners and explosive Force powers, who wanted nothing more than to burn ships full of innocent refugees. Perhaps some time in a Republic prison would cool even her volatile temper.

The young Sith had just reached her robust starship again and was preparing for a quiet evening, and perhaps a game of Pazaak with Andronikos and Ashara, when her holocom chimed. Seeing that it was a message from Kaal, Raven hurried to answer – her two first apprentices were looking for ways to weaken Thanaton, and any message from them was a priority.

Sadly, the news wasn't good. In fact, it was downright catastrophic.

"My lord! It's Kaal. Your apprentice. Corrin is here with me."

Despite the urgency in his tone, the young Sith wondered why he always felt the need to introduce himself as her apprentice. Did he doubt her memory, or was he insecure about his own role?

Perhaps he, too, was in need of some fruit salad. But there wasn't time for that now.

"We don't have much time to talk. Thanaton tried to make us his. Claimed you were dead."

Well, that explained why the Darth hadn't bothered her directly, lately. He was busy hurting her from afar. Not that she had much resources other than her apprentices, and perhaps her cult and some allies here and there, but still... Raven resolved to speak with Rylee at the next opportunity, and to warn the young girl that any newcomers to the cult could be deadly enemy agents. Kaal's problems were more urgent, though.

"We managed to flee Dromund Kaas, but his lords have been hounding us through every sector. We are in Hutt Space now, and don't know where to turn next!"

Hutt Space. And she was currently in the Outer Rim Sector of the Seat of the Empire. That sector bordered on Hutt Space, but travelling would cost time neither Kaal nor Corrin had.

Blast it.

"Stay on this line, Kaal. I'll be back with you in thirty seconds!"

Typing in another frequency hectically, the inquisitor prayed to whatever Force entities might listen that Lea wasn't busy again at this very moment. But for once, she was in luck. The picture of the golden-haired Jedi appeared without further delay.

"Moira." The Barsen'thor's face was a mask of anguish. "I was so sure you'd never talk to me again after all this mess on Taris..."

To all Corellian Hells with politeness.

"Where are you, Lea? I've a crisis at my hands and need help for two of my people."

A frown formed on the Consular's forehead, but the answer came quickly and without hesitation.

"Quesh, that's a toxic little piece of dirt somewhere close to Hutta..."

Hutta. Hutt Space. Good.

"Great. Wait, talk to you in a minute!"

Switching the line again, Raven turned to Kaal.

"Hurry to Quesh, and try to find a defensible position as close to Republic territory as you dare. I'm on my way, but an ally is coming, too. At least I hope so. Hurry, and may the Force be with you!"

Stars. Wrong encouragement. But Raven supposed that Kaal and Corrin were too busy being afraid for their lives to wonder about her choice of words. She activated the second comm channel again.

"Lea, if you really want to help me, then here's your chance to prove it. Two of my apprentices are hunted by my mortal enemy, and en route to Quesh – here are their names, and the ID of their ship. I told them to find shelter somewhere near the border region. They won't stand a chance against whomever Thanaton has sent after them, and yes, they are Sith, but they are young, and still quite innocent, and I believe in time they may turn out all right, but not if some maniac cuts them into little pieces, and..."

"I'll find them." Sighing, the Jedi on the other end of the line shook her head. "I promise, I'll find them, and save them if I can. But it'd be nice if you told them that the help you have sent is wearing a green lightsaber, not a red one. Otherwise, I'll likely have to fight them all, and then it might get messy."

* * *

 _Quesh, Hideout, 5 BEA_

Quesh. When Raven put a foot on the planet's surface, and breathed in the slightly toxic air, she was glad that she hadn't announced openly being sure that Taris was the ugliest planet in the known universe. Granted, there were no rakghouls on Quesh, but the combination of venomous beasts, toxins and industrial complexes had its own non-existing charms.

But there was no time for this now. Lord Kallig hurried to find herself a speeder, Khem, Ashara and Andronikos in tow, and rushed forward to find her apprentices, and her sister. She felt her sibling's presence through the Force, but couldn't tell what had happened from afar. Nobody was answering a holocom, either, so all the young Sith could do was to jam the accelerator, and hope for the best.

When she finally reached the coordinates that Corrin had sent her in her last message, Raven was greeted by the corpses of two Sith. She didn't know either of them, though, so she entered the building as swiftly as she dared. There were no battle sounds or anything, which probably meant that the conflict was resolved. With her sister's aura clearly visible through the Force, that equalled 'dead attackers', but what about her apprentices?

More dead Sith lay in the dust around her, as the assassin continued her way through the building. The Trandoshian hunter guarded the stairs, but greeted her friendly. Or at least he didn't attack her, but growled something about 'Herald's hunting helpers', which Raven believed meant the same thing.

Finally, after passing a scowling Twi'lek, the young Sith reached a well-lit room.

"My lord!"

The assassin got a single moment to notice that her apprentices were deadly pale, but clearly very much alive, and hugged against the back wall of the room. After that, she found herself all but thrown to the floor herself by the very same two apprentices, who seemed to have learned the secret of teleporting, and who were now busy kneeling before her in the dirt, and crushing the life out of the inquisitor's own kneecaps while hugging her legs instead.

Another man stood in the room, the skin around his nose slightly green, and, finally, there was the young Jedi who Raven had called into this scene in the first place. Lea was smiling in greeting, albeit a tad sheepishly. And... guiltily. When the young Sith looked around, she realized that the room's walls' magenta was likely not their original colour, and that some of the dirt around her was quite new, and astonishingly wet and sticky.

"Hey, sis. Eh, take care where you put your feet, okay? When I found this place, the Sith had just entered, and I didn't have much time for subtlety..."

Looking around again, Raven saw that Ashara had paled considerably as well. Andronikos was keeping his composure, but she could have sworn that she'd heard Khem smacking. Patting her apprentices' backs in a helpless gesture of comfort, the inquisitor wished that she'd had a third hand for the young Togruta as well.

"Lea?" she asked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm eternally grateful for what you did, but when we've got some time, we should really talk about your people skills. Talk to you later, all right? Now, Kaal, Corrin, Ashara, just close your eyes and take my hands. Andronikos, a little help here? Khem, don't. Just don't, please. So, let's get you all out of here. Slowly, slowly. Anybody needs to vomit, just out with it. This place's ruined, anyway. We'll get you all a nice, hot shower, and then some nerve remedy of your choice. Tee, chocolate, Corellian Whisky, whatever you want. Same goes for you, of course, Andronikos. And Khem? We'll go hunting as soon as I can. Just _don't_ clean up the room. _Please_."

* * *

 _Quesh, Markets, 5 BEA_

With the crisis resolved and her apprentices and followers calmed down again, Raven finally took the time to talk to her sister. It would take more time to really build a foundation of trust and understanding, the Sith thought, but with the recent events on Quesh, they were off to a good start. She now knew that the Barsen'thor wasn't just talk, and Lea had tangible proof, if she'd indeed needed any, that her sibling was really fighting another Sith. Raven was pretty sure that she'd felt Lea's mind touch her own thoughts in the chaos, but didn't really mind – had she been in the Jedi's place, she'd looked for some kind of assurance that she wasn't about to attack the Consular as well.

Now, though, Lea was back on her own mission again, whatever that was, and the young Sith had got another issue at her hands as well.

"Look, there may have been some kind of misunderstanding. Let's try again, shall we? It's actually pretty simple."

Raven squinted her eyes as she focused on the scrawny man before her. He was probably not much older than her, and had this aura of restless helpfulness typically found in insurance agents. Well, he was trying to sell her something, after all. She drew a deep breath.

"I need a speeder. Now, before you start babbling, listen to my requirements first. They are not unreasonable, I'd say. First, its speed has to be acceptable, which translates to 'above walking speed of the average sentient bipedal being'."

"No problem, no problem at all, my lord!"

The guy was positively beaming.

"Second, it has to be sturdy enough for above-average levels of ground difficulty. I don't plan to drive into a battle zone, so 'missile proof' is not required, but it definitely has to be an all-terrain model."

"Perfect, just perfect! All sorts of terrain, no problem!"

"Third, it shouldn't be too fancy, so no luxury craft or jewelled plating or the like. My speeders get stolen often enough as it is, I don't need to add any incentive for a thief."

Now the guy was jumping up and down.

"Really? Then this is the ideal choice for you! It has a build-in fool-proof theft-resistance!"

"And it's maintenance cost shouldn't be too high."

"It isn't, my lord, it isn't! Truly, on my honour!"

Raven closed her eyes, hoping that the scene might resolve itself miraculously to a scenario that made more sense. Sadly, it didn't.

"It's a blasted giant killer bird! Perhaps its direct maintenance cost is low, but only because it feeds on my enemies' entrails! Or my own! It will probably pick my starship apart when I try to bring it on board!"

The young Sith stopped herself, if only because her throat started to hurt. The vendor had paled considerably, and if any other potential customers had been in range, they were not stupid enough to remain in plain sight The only living being not affected by her outburst was the orobird in question. It tilted its colourful head, stared at her with its dark, gleaming eyes, and clicked his giant beak ominously.

Lord Kallig grabbed her bag and turned to leave, when a low wail wormed its way from her ears through the frustrated haze that had started to cloud her mind. The speeder seller had sunken on his knees, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Please, gentle lord, nobody will buy this beast, and my boss will sack me if I don't succeed in selling it by the end of the week. And m-my parents... without the money... there's so little..."

Whatever he had intended to say was lost in crying. Raven had frozen on the spot when the vendor had knelt down; she felt like somebody had shoved an icy bolt into her guts and twisted it. How old was this boy? Likely even younger than her, and if he had tried this display in front of any other Lord of the Sith, he wouldn't have got the chance to get any older. It was no act, that much was clear. This was despair, plain and simple. The anger she had felt two minutes ago returned, tenfold, but now directed at the unfortunate guy's boss.

"Wait here and try to get a grip on yourself. I'll just have a quick chat with the head of this little business."

Raven took some steps until she was sure nobody was listening in, then activated her holo. "Khem? Meet me at the base's entrance in five. Andronikos? Would you mind returning to the ship to slice into the companies' records and collect any private messages that you can find? There is bound to be some leverage in there that we can use. And Ashara? Please come to Radiant Rendili Racers. Bring some tissues and perhaps some cookies, if we still have any. If not, buy some before coming here. On the double, folks! This is urgent."

When Lord Kallig finally left Radiant Rendili Racers' headquarters, her mood had brightened considerably. Being a Sith Lord had its advantages, now and then... She returned to the speeder vendor at a steady jog, eager to fully resolve the situation and help the boy out of his predicament. Khem Val was keeping up without effort, but the Dashade was stamping on the ground more viciously than necessary. No surprise there – he usually got disgruntled when she denied him a tasty meal, and even without Force powers, the chief salesman had obviously been fat enough to qualify. Raven made a mental node to take her ancient Shadow Killer on another little hunting trip through Quesh's woods before leaving. Wrestling with four or five giant predators simultaneously usually brightened his mood.

When she reached the vendor, the boy had regained most of his composure. He seemed to be unsure what to do, his face being contorted in a weird mix of hope and dread. Raven shook her head.

"Here, some credits from your boss as a small apology for putting you through all this trouble. It should be enough to get you and your parents offworld to Dromund Kaas and start a new life, if you wish it. I'd seriously consider leaving, because both the environment and the war here are probably not beneficial for your health. Nor will be the director's temper when he forgets the promises that he made ten minutes ago. Now, where's..."

Raven couldn't finish her sentence, because hundred pounds of pure relief flung themselves at her and pulled her into a hug.

Seriously. Was it something in Quesh's air, or had somebody secretly put a 'Please hug this Sith' plate on her brows without her noticing it?

She wouldn't put it past Lea, come to think of it.

"Ouch! On second thought, forget Dromund Kaas. Embrace one of the Sith there like this, and you'll have bigger problems than a difficult speeder sale. Ever considered making a home for yourself in the Republic? Coruscant, for example? Don't answer! Just think about it. Quietly. And if you find that it sounds like a good idea, go to Hutta first, Nar Shaddaa second, and then start looking for shuttles towards Republic-aligned worlds. Not sooner. Got it?"

She seriously wondered how he had survived this long. Three Families or not, there were other Sith on Quesh, and most Imperial soldiers had no sense of humour, either. Well, hopefully he would follow her advice, and, with some luck, grow up.

"That will be all. Now, where is my apprentice?"

It still felt wrong to say or even think these words, but the young Jedi insisted on calling her 'master'. Or 'my lord'. Well, Kaal and Corrin did it, too – perhaps Raven just had to get used to it.

"Ashara? Ashara, are you here?"

Some sense of dark foreboding crept onto the Sith. Where was the young Togruta? She heard the orobird's beak click again. It was probably only her imagination, but the creature somehow sounded pleased with itself.

"Master!"

Relieved, Raven looked around. And froze. And looked again, and groaned. The young Jedi had slipped into the pen and was now cuddled up to the giant monster bird's feathery neck.

"Look, my lord, isn't it gorgeous? Such a pretty animal... Can we keep it?"

Surrendering to the inevitable, the young Sith made a mental note to rethink the pirate business again. Apparently, the parrot issue was resolving itself without her intervention.


	18. Hammer Station

_Dromund Kaas, Central District, 29 BEA_

Rain was falling steadily from dark grey clouds. Not surprising, really, for the weather was notoriously bad on the central planet of the Imperial universe, especially with the end of the year in sight. But this time, it managed to get on Victoria's nerves. The young Sith stared out of the windows of her rebuilt and upgraded apartment, and felt the spraying unpleasantness of the jungle world outside somehow creep into her very soul, despite the inches of Ceraglass between herself and the unfriendly environment.

Hells. Who was she kidding? Certainly not herself, nor her droids. The majority of them waited to be repaired, but after some feeble attempts, the assassin had given this work up for the moment. She just wasn't able to focus, to concentrate, and that was certainly not the fault of the blasted storm outside.

The storm within her was another story, though.

 _Why hadn't the trice-dammed black-clad Darth simply said something?_

Probably not out of malice, Victoria's remaining brain-cells supplied, while the rest of her mind was busy panicking. Missing her companion's true affiliation and _rank_ was so colossally stupid that it was nearly unthinkable. In hindsight, Fortis had probably realised her mistake on the flight back from Kaon, when she'd mocked the usually lazy Dark Councillors, but complimented his own skills in battle.

Well, she'd been tired beyond reasoning, and swimming in a whole sea of relief and satisfaction, so her lack of sarcasm was excusable. And, luckily, the inquisitor had only praised his abilities. That wasn't really embarrassing, since she'd simply stated facts. The 'I need you' slip-up when she'd thought that the Darth was on the verge of dying was another story, but one that she'd never admit willingly. Fortunately, there hadn't been any witnesses, not counting the unconscious warrior (even though he had remembered a bit of her outburst later on) and the dead infected beast, and no working holo drones or security cams for miles around her.

Anyway, now that she thought about it, the assassin recalled that Fortis had wanted to talk to her on the shuttle, and then again after the mission to Colla IV. Due to the circumstances this hadn't happened, but now she had more than just a vague idea why he had asked to speak with her.

Victoria looked out of the window again. The rain was still falling with remarkable persistence, but there was no thunderstorm outside. Not so dissimilar, really, to the state of her own mind – what the Sith felt wasn't the lightning-sharp, fast strike of fear and dread that she knew from battle, but a slower, weaker, still somehow more insistent horror that wormed its way through her mental defences without even so much as being delayed, just like the steady rainfall outside found its way through any number of layers of protective clothing.

She needed to apologize. There was no other solution. And within the Sith Empire, the sentence 'Apology accepted, Lord Whoever' was usually accompanied by the sound of breaking bones, the hiss of Force lightning, or a death rattle. Or all of it.

Despite this knowledge, however, death wasn't what the Sith Lord was afraid of. Sure, the prospect of dying was generally unpleasant, but she knew Fortis well enough to understand that the Dark Lord wouldn't just snap her neck for some random insults. If he'd wanted to, she wouldn't be drawing breath any more, after all. And pain… no, that wasn't really the point, either. Pain wasn't something the young Sith liked, but the idea of having to endure a bit of Force lightning was nothing that made her lose sleep at night. Serpentis didn't do physical punishments, for whatever reason, but her former master Scorpius had relished them, which had in turn given the inquisitor some routine in dealing with it. There had been more than one reason why she'd thrown the cheese-brained k'lor'slug into a lava river.

Naming what exactly made her shudder was not so easy, though. Humiliation was a part of it, Victoria supposed, for her pride didn't really allow her to simply kneel and accept whatever sentence her former brother-in-arms had in store for her. But fighting wasn't an option. Not because of political reasoning, or rational assessment of Fortis' strength, but because the mere chance of one in a hundred million that she might actually kill the blasted black figure by accident was enough to scare the living Force out of the inquisitor.

 _You still need him_ , some small voice from her subconsciousness commented, and Victoria rammed her head against the window, until her skull was aching quietly again.

A quip about squeezing hot sauce into his armour for the convenience of cannibals, random insults about his armour, colourful comparisons with the animal kingdom of many planets, hanging up on him at least twice when he was calling her per holo, ignoring orders, or almost challenging him because of them...

 _Why in the universe had she provoked the black-armoured Darth repeatedly, no, almost constantly?_

That question was actually pretty easy to answer, if she was being honest. First, there was something about Fortis that just put Victoria slightly on edge, for whatever reason. Second, he'd simply deserved at least some of those insults. And third, despite knowing about his Darth title from nearly the beginning, the young Sith had actually and rightfully been confident about being able to get away with her antics unharmed. The hierarchy among the Sith was strict, with the Emperor as the supreme and unquestioned leader, the Dark Council as the day-to-day commanders of their spheres, the Darths, the Lords of the Sith, the regular Sith, and the acolytes. A few exceptions did exist, though. An acolyte who had won the favour of a Sith Lord of a certain prestige wouldn't be challenged by a random Sith, and the direct apprentices of a Dark Councillor had nearly Darth status themselves, even if they were only lords. It wasn't written down anywhere, but it was a simple fact that those apprentices did much of their respective sphere's work, and were usually only a single duel success away from the Dark Council themselves.

Verbally insulting a random Darth had therefore been relatively risk-free for Victoria, ever since Darth Serpentis had chosen the young Sith as her personal apprentice. But insulting, provoking and nearly challenging a Dark Council member for no good reason – that was a step too far. More than just one step, in fact, now that she thought about it.

The young assassin sighed, and checked her datapad again. The Imperial fleet had left Colla IV some time ago, after the treaty with the bugs had been signed, and left only a token guard force behind. But the distance between the Colicoid Creation Nest's world and Dromund Kaas was huge. It would still take Fortis some time to reach the system, and this time Victoria could use to rummage through her wardrobe. Ignoring the little blasted voice from her subconsciousness, which had nothing better to do than to point out that the young Sith hadn't been bothered at all when reporting to Darth _Serpentis_ after redecorating the Dark Councillor's quarters with jungle beast excrements, the assassin picked her old robes from the Black Talon mission. Shadow Silk wasn't lightning resistant, and there was at least one noticeable blaster bolt hole in those garments, so it wasn't that much of a loss if the Sith had to throw them away after the upcoming encounter.

Yes, cloth was fine, but heavy armour was out of the question. Worst-case scenario would be being ordered to strip out of it, and that would be a classy case of adding insult to injury – and something the young Sith didn't even dare to imagine more closely for fear of destroying the whole block of houses in her vicinity.

Gazing into the grey clouds again, Victoria allowed her mind to wander for a minute. Memories emerged, pictures... Mission preparations for challenging an ancient crusader pureblood Sith... Unnatural cold as a whole room of Republic elite forces fell dead due to a massive Force intervention... Brown-green mist on an almost doomed world, and far-away street lights mirrored in unmoving black steel on murky ground... _I will trust your judgement_.

Skin hit glass again, hard, and Victoria groaned. Wherever her thoughts ventured, somehow they always came back to a haunting, dark figure. The young Sith closed her eyes, succeeding in blocking the view of the weather at least, if nothing else, and pressed her forehead to the cool glass in front of her. She either needed a long holiday, or some time alone with quite a lot of bottles of questionable contents. But right now, it seemed, both of these options were simply impossible.

And on this happy note, her datapad chimed, warning her that an Imperial fleet had entered the system. Time for contemplation was up, now it was time to face the music.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, 29 BEA_

Victoria looked around the Citadel's entrance hall and pondered choking some random Sith to get parts of the anxiety out of her system, but decided against it after a second. The idea of hitting some of Fortis' people by accident, and having to apologize for that as well, made her cringe inwardly. Deciding to use the proper channels again, the young Sith Lord entered the Sphere of Mysteries' halls, and filed an official request to meet their leader with the neighbouring sphere's administration officers. She was careful to cite Darth Fortis' request to talk to her after Colla IV as her reason, as this was sufficient to all but guarantee her a spot on the Dark Councillor's schedule. The alternative would have been asking her own master to sign a formal request for an audience, but talking to Serpentis now was beyond Victoria's mental and physical capabilities.

Afterwards the young assassin sat down on one of the benches in her master's main hall, and tried to control her hands – for some reason, they were shaking. Well, at least she was sure that Fortis had indeed returned to Dromund Kaas; she felt his aura and could probably have pinpointed his location with her eyes closed from every spot on this planet. The prospect of having to endure this whole situation, the waiting, the uncertainty and everything twice, just because the black-armoured Darth had decided to leave his fleet and take a short side trip to conquer Coruscant or something, would have been highly unpleasant.

It didn't take long until Victoria's holocom beeped, signalling an incoming call. According to her chrono it had only been one minute and forty-five seconds, but for the young assassin, those seconds had felt like ages. Hoping that her voice wouldn't break before she was able to communicate the most relevant points, Lord Kell activated the little device.

"Greetings-from-the-Sphere-of-Mysteries. Does-your-master-have-time-for-an-audience?" she rushed, and was relieved that her voice was still sounding remotely normal, if a little stressed.

There was a second of silence, and somehow, something made the small hairs on her arms stand on end.

"That is not for me to say, though I consider it unlikely – the Emperor has been silent for many years, and that is his prerogative", a well-known voice answered in a tone dryer than all deserts on Tatooine, while Victoria stared in shock at the three-dimensional image that had appeared on her comm. "You might want to contact the Emperor's Wrath instead, but..."

Whatever Fortis had intended to say was lost in the acoustic chaos, as the young Sith lost her balance, fell over her bench or her own limbs, and took the furniture with her.

"Three-hells-spawns-of-frozen-burning-blasted-depths-of-darkness", she hissed, as some reflexes were too deeply ingrained to be stopped by fear or surprise. Then she froze again. "Er..."

For some reason or another, the holocom had landed on the floor without breaking the connection, and so Victoria found herself nose-to-mask with Fortis' picture. Which tilted its blasted black helmet in consideration.

"You may be required to be more specific, Lord Kell, as there are a number of beings on Dromund Kaas that can be rightfully considered 'spawns of darkness'", the Dark Lord commented calmly. "Burning and frozen at the same time is physically unlikely, though. But perhaps I can be of assistance."

Unfortunately, the young assassin was still struggling to regain control of her body.

"Er..."

Fortis' voice lost its thinly-veiled traces of amusement, and worry replaced humour.

"Is everything all right, Lord Kell?"

Blast it. The Force bond. The Darth must have finally picked up on her anxiety. Feeling the blood rush to her face, Victoria hectically started to gesticulate.

"Yes... no... hells..."

Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Fortis' figure reach for his lightsaber. Blast it.

"Stay where you are. I'm coming."

 _Blast it all._

"No!"

That wasn't something the assassin wanted to have to explain to her master – a fellow Dark Council member more or less invading Serpentis' halls without invitation, because her stupid apprentice had had a little fit of nerves. Stars. Well, if she looked at it from the bright side, she was getting lots of new material for her nightmares – the old ones were getting boring, anyway.

"Kell?"

Deep breaths. It couldn't be that hard to control her voice for some minutes longer, could it?

"I'm requesting an audience, Darth Fortis", Victoria managed to force out, and thanked all stars that at least she wasn't sounding as hysterical as she was feeling. For a moment, she still sensed puzzlement in the black figure, but it was replaced by his usual aura of calm, cold rationalizing soon enough.

"Very well. Coordinates sent. I would also like to speak with you."

* * *

It was only a very short distance from one sphere's main hall to another, but for Victoria, the way seemed both infinitely longer – and still far too short. Her hands were trying to shake again, and had apparently started to infect her legs as well; only conscious Force effort allowed the assassin to walk calmly and normally towards her destination. But at least she'd stopped blushing. Right now it felt as if all blood had left her face, and probably her brain as well, and was gathering somewhere around her feet.

But apparently, her efforts to pretend normality were successful. The Sith at the reception didn't even look up from his computer terminals.

"Apologies, all appointments today are cancelled due to mission debriefings", he all but yawned. "Please use our extra-net interface to apply for another..."

Wrath replaced at least a part of the assassin's fears, and Victoria felt red flames of ire burn around her fingers. Fighting against the urge to eviscerate the offender on the spot, she squinted her eyes and stared at the officer.

"I'm here to see..." she started, but interrupted herself as the Sith suddenly gave a jerk and sprang to attention.

"To see me", a calm voice finished the sentence, and the black, spiky shadow on the ground was as familiar as the cold, dark aura, which now all but overwhelmed Victoria. Eyes cast down, the young assassin needed a moment to find the strength to look up again. The rage she'd just felt had dissolved like a pinch of dry earth in the depths of Manaan.

"Lord Kell? With me."

Vaguely grateful that she wouldn't be required to explain herself in front of more witnesses than necessary, Victoria followed automatically, shadowing the warrior as she would have during battle. If it had been her choice, the assassin would have preferred to fight Darth Ikoral again, or any other member of the menagerie that they had faced together.

* * *

Walking through the equivalent of Serpentis' huge meeting hall, the young Sith couldn't help but notice that it served as a combination of intelligence hub and training room in this sphere. The Sphere of Mysteries' great hall was certainly impressive, but almost always empty. Here, at least twenty people were working on their datapads and terminals. Apparently Fortis' tendency for efficiency had rubbed off on his sphere as well. Both hyper-aware and frozen by fear at the same moment, Victoria perceived mostly single pictures, but those were of astounding clarity and brilliance. The drapery of an Imperial flag hanging at a wall, the shadow of a statue in the shades at the side, people looking up and saluting their master, while glancing curiously at his guest... There were even some indoor plants on some of the desks, from Alderaanian cherry flowers to Ord Mantell sun berries. The inquisitor would have understood Oricon poison grass or blood ferns, since they had a proper sinister look about them, but those pretty light-green leaves and colourful flowers appeared terribly out of place in this supposed hall of darkness.

The Darth led her towards some smaller rooms at the end of the hall, entered, and beckoned her to follow. Hurrying forward, and doing her best to stop herself from throwing up, Victoria made sure to close the door behind her. Nearly deafened by the sound of pounding blood behind her ears, she allowed herself one steadying deep breath before turning towards the Lord of the Sphere of Imperial Defence. Since she'd never been a fan of stalling, and her mind was way too far beyond creative imagination to even think of some excuses to buy her more time before she had to do what she had come to do, Victoria collected the remnants of her determination and what was left of her willpower, and sank onto her knees.

"Kell? Can you hear me? Are you experiencing vision disorders, dizziness, chest pain, or sudden dyspnoea?"

Too close. Far too close. The young assassin hadn't even heard him move, but suddenly, Fortis' mask was only inches away from her face, two fingers touched her wrist to feel her pulse, and a wave of cool, controlled Force energy engulfed her whole body, trying to heal wounds that weren't there. How the Darth had gotten rid of his gauntlet that fast was a mystery to Victoria.

If her mind hadn't short-circuited already, the young Sith would have probably started to laugh hysterically at the absurdity of the situation.

Seeking salvation in formalities again to prevent any more outbursts she would have to apologize for afterwards, the assassin forced her vocal cords to comply.

"I have come to submit myself to your judgement, Dark Lord", she declared in a voice that didn't even remotely sound like her own, and fixated the ground before her. Her mind was as empty as the room around her was silent, while Fortis got up again, likely getting ready for...

… a sigh?

"Lord Kell. There are three things that bother me right now. The first is the increased infighting in the Dark Council, and I highly doubt that it's due to your influence. The second is the secession movement on Csilla, and while I acknowledge your strength and cunning, I can't imagine you being responsible for that, either. And the third is the clear distress of a valued ally, who finds herself in trouble right now. Tell me what's wrong."

Victoria blinked and looked up out of reflex, worry overriding the chaos in her mind.

"Wait. Serpentis is in trouble? Who do I have to kill?"

Confusion became more apparent by the second, both in the Darth's posture before her, and in his aura. There was still some part of his Force energy left that had surrounded her, and that blasted bond between them felt stronger than ever.

"What do you mean?"

Completely bewildered, Victoria spread her arms and gesticulated helplessly.

"What do _you_ mean?"

Winning a staring contest against somebody with a full mask was difficult, but the young Sith did her best. It didn't take more than a moment, though, until she felt realisation through the Force bond.

"Victoria. I am talking about you, not your master."

 _Hells_. Feeling the blood rushing into her face again, a mixture of embarrassment, strange warmth, and half-forgotten panic started to fight within the young inquisitor's mind, completely drowning the small voice that tried to complain about the use of her given name.

Keenly aware that some form of answer was required, Victoria opted for simplicity.

"I wish to apologize for my behaviour, Dark Lord", she said, forcing each word out, and used her hands to steady herself on the ground, while ignoring the dark flames that started to play around her body. There was only so much anxiety she could swallow up, after all.

"I don't under... This is Shadow Silk that you are wearing."

Wincing at the change in Fortis' tone, the young assassin really didn't know what to do besides nodding.

"Er... yes. Less risk for blisters."

Freezing completely at what she sensed through the Force, Victoria was still able to acknowledge the irony of the situation: For what was probably the first time ever, she had done what she could to not provoke the black-armoured Darth, but still finally succeeded in insulting him. Sometimes, life was just unfair.

"Kell. Do you take me for a sadist? Did you think that I entertain an 'agony dungeon' within these halls? Did you panic because you were afraid of me, and feared being turned into a target for lightning due to some trivial incidents? Torturing enemies or disciplining somebody for mission failures are legitimate, but meting out punishments for inanities is pointless. I have certainly heard enough during the previous missions to the Red Reaper and to Kaon to know that I don't enjoy hearing you scream in pain."

Finally daring to look up, the young assassin didn't really know if she should feel grateful – or angry, for this line of reasoning was missing the point. Ignoring the echoes of dark tomb stones on frozen ground in deepest winter, which had somehow emerged in Fortis' tone again, the young Sith drew a deep breath.

"Few people would say that mocking a Dark Councillor is a 'trivial incident'", she growled, as anger won – she didn't like it when somebody implied that she was stupid, and Fortis' words basically boiled down to it. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but most of the Council members would kill or at least torture for less without a second thought, Dark Lord."

In the following silence, Victoria could see the Darth shake his head.

"Kell. Rise. Or if you feel that you can't, feel free to sit, but please stop scorching my floor."

 _Stars_. Staggering to her feet as fast as she could, and doing her best to avoid the puddles of molten metal that had formed under her hands, the young inquisitor tried to regain her composure.

"Since you are already aware of my rank, we can and probably should postpone this meeting here", the Darth continued, his usual calm overriding the moment of irritation. Victoria nodded, mutely, suddenly wishing nothing more than being far away from this whole mess. Almost at the doorstep, she was stopped by Fortis' voice again.

"I am aware that you are no stranger to pain, Victoria. What exactly is it that you were afraid of?"

The young Sith didn't turn, but lingered for a moment, while closing her eyes. She had been ready to accept a certain amount of agony, but she couldn't and wouldn't have tolerated it if her ally had truly enjoyed to inflict it upon her.

Silence stretched, and seemed to fill the whole room.

"Being made to hate you", Victoria answered quietly, and walked out without looking back, all the while trying to find shelter for her soul again, which had laid unguarded and open during her last sentence.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Sphere of Mysteries, 29 BEA_

Hoping that her master employed adequate security standards for the dishes served in her sphere, Victoria ploughed through her third plate of dinner with abandon, while emptying another bottle. In contrast to her usual routine, though, it contained only water. The young Sith had spent the last week with sleeping, eating, repairing her droids, some physical training, and meditation, and was ready to admit that this 'holiday' from her usual chaotic lifestyle was beneficial to the state of her nerves, and probably also for her general well-being. Even the number of nightmares had decreased; on average, she now only woke with a start twice per night.

Her holocom chimed, and the young Sith's blood pressure didn't double – another sign of progress.

"Yes, master?" Victoria asked, and even remembered to swallow before talking. Red eyes twinkled kindly through the holo distortions.

"I have received a request for some mission support by another sphere, and would like your opinion on that particular endeavour, young dragon", Serpentis answered, and shook her head slightly. "Plus, I have got two other messages here, which are a bit unusual. Perhaps you can help me with them, too. But it's not urgent. I'll be in the library for the whole evening, just come over when you are finished with your meal."

Bowing her head slightly in acknowledgement, the young assassin was curious about what exactly had her master puzzled.

"Of course, Dark Lord", she answered, and grinned. "But if you don't mind, I'll take another plate of this Alderaanian salmon first. It's really delicious."

* * *

Finding her master absorbed in the contents of her datapad, Victoria waited patiently at the door until the older assassin invited her over. She sat down, tried to repress a burp, and waited excitedly for the news. Yes, the holiday at home had felt great, but a nice little mission wasn't a bad prospect, either.

"They are calling you 'Korriban's Flame', young dragon."

Neither understanding the sense of this statement, nor its context, Lord Kell decided that there was nothing wrong with a simple question.

"Who is calling me that, and why?" she asked. "And why does it matter?"

Her master chuckled slightly. "I believe it was started somewhere in the Sphere of Sith Philosophy's propaganda department, but now it has spread to the streets. People are talking about how you assisted in burning Ikoral's menace, single-handedly scorched Colla IV to protect our soldiers, and risked your life to save our allies on Kaon. And it matters because you're becoming a hero of the Empire, and fast. You were always a visible target, Lord Kell, at least since you achieved your latest title, but now your enemies might think twice before challenging you. How many assassins did you kill during the last months?"

Victoria scratched her head.

"None", she answered, surprised. "I thought my rivals were just having a bad day... week... month... year, whatever, or were waiting for the next upgrade in lightsaber technology before trying their luck again."

Smiling, the old Darth tilted her head. "Perhaps. But I'd say they are scared. Remember, you are winning favours with other spheres as well. That small mission where you killed a defector was a direct request from the Sphere of Military Offence, and the Sphere of Production and Logistics is still very pleased that you saved that convoy two months ago, and killed all the pirates. And returning those strange glowing egg-like techno-things for Darth Mekhis certainly won you points with the Sphere of Technology. But enough of that."

Serpentis handed her another datapad.

"The mission I mentioned concerns the so-called 'Hammer Station', a former Republic super weapon, unfinished and supposedly destroyed, but which has re-emerged under the control of the Advosze Hegemony. Its primary weapon is a combination of a tractor beam and a gravity cannon, designed to propel asteroids into planets."

Perking up, Victoria started to laugh. "Crashing asteroids into planets? And here I thought the Republic had no sense for fun. But now those critters have the Pub's plaything, and suddenly start to feel all high-and-mighty?"

The old Sith's mouth twitched into a half-smile. "I would have phrased it differently, but that's a quite accurate summary, Lord Kell. Anyway, it's not the mission itself that I am surprised about, but the request itself."

Huh?

"Why? Does an old adversary ask for help, or does the order come from the Emperor himself?" the young inquisitor asked, while trying to imagine why that battle station was of any significance. Sure, it was a threat, but the Empire faced threats every day. Until now, Victoria would have bet her lightsaber that it was a simple search-and-destroy mission, and not much else. She felt a small movement within her mind, but didn't even raise an eyebrow any more; the young Sith knew pretty well that her master liked to read her superficial thoughts now and then.

"You wouldn't have lost your saber, young dragon", the old Darth smiled. "I'd agree, it's pretty much the prototype of a one-explosion-and-the-problem-is-solved scenario. That's why I am puzzled about the request, and its wording in particular. I mean, it's not like Fortis would need any help with this thing, but it seems that he took care to formulate a polite request, not a short and blunt note, and this isn't his usual style at all... Is everything all right, Lord Kell?"

When Serpentis had mentioned Fortis' name, Victoria had at least succeeded in stifling half of her groan, but had already felt that her face was growing hot and cold in quick succession. Now, with that unintended direct quote by her master, her composure was all but gone.

"Hells!" she exclaimed reflexively, and tried to bury her whole head under her arms. There was a small movements at the edges of her mind again, but this time, the young Sith raised all mental walls that she had; her master didn't try to read her thoughts by force.

"Well, I take it that not everything is all right, young dragon", Serpentis concluded, and frowned. "Just to be sure: You didn't challenge Fortis again by chance, did you?"

Great. Probably her head was crimson right now.

"No! Quite the contrary, actually", Victoria murmured, and tried to breathe steadily to calm her emotions down to tolerable levels again. The lifted eyebrows before her gave her the creeps, though.

"Wait. You didn't actually propo..."

 _"No!"_

"Well, when you said 'contrary', I thought..."

 _"No! No! No!"_

Finally, Victoria bit her tongue and managed to shut up, if only because her own voice hurt in her ears, and she realized that her hysterics didn't do her any favour at all. She really didn't like the thoughtful expression on the old Sith's face.

"Kell, there is no dishonour in acknowled..."

 _Blast it. Blast it. Blast it all._

"Emperor's hair-band, I just went over to _apologize_ to the Dark Lord for some random insults!"

Serpentis scratched her head, frowning.

"Sorry, but then I don't see the problem."

Hitting her head hard on her master's desk plate, Victoria allowed herself a deep sigh.

"Believe me, my master, I don't really understand it, either. But, sadly, that doesn't mean that it isn't there."

Humming quietly, the old Darth busied herself with the datapad, giving her apprentice some time to regain control.

"Kell? There are still those other two messages I'd like to discuss. I'm getting the feeling that these are connected to you as well, given your recent visit to the Sphere of Imperial Defence. First, there is a standard bill of cost from the administration office from the same sphere, mentioning property damage to two cortosis floor panels. The second is an extremely short note from their leader, referring to the first, which consists of three words only: 'Ignore that. Fortis.' Anything you want to add?"

Cortosis? Ouch. Victoria had hoped that it had been some cheap alloy that had no heat resistance at all. Staring at her hands in wonder, she shrugged helplessly.

"Let's just say that the discussion back then got a little heated."

* * *

 _Vaiken Spacedock, Assault Shuttle Hangar, 28 BEA_

Listening to the familiar sounds of her patrolling SP units around her, Victoria stared into deep space, and tried hard not to think about anything. Especially not about why she was standing here at all, and waited for the leader of the priority mission to Hammer Station. It would have been well within her rights to just refuse, Serpentis had told her that much, but in the end, she'd agreed to help Fortis conquer the station and extract all data that they could on both the Republic and the Advosze Hegemony. Information was always a valuable asset, and even the young Sith was curious about how in the galaxy a scrapped Republic secret project could have landed in the hands of some primitive space pirates. That was also the reason why Fortis had refrained from simply blowing the station out of space with his fleet.

Cold darkness touched her mind, and the young Sith turned her head in time to see a Terminus-class destroyer exiting hyperspace. Feeling peculiarly like being pulled by an invisible but insistent rubber band, Victoria abandoned her vantage point, and made her way to the high-security docks.

On arrival, she was directly confronted by at least four elite troopers, not counting those agents who were hiding in the shadows.

"Apologies, my lord, but the shuttle 'Fuliginous' is en route. All non-essential personnel must clear the area."

Victoria shot the guy a look that made even the hardened veteran flinch.

"Which sphere do you belong to, soldier?" she demanded, and felt the familiar sparkling of electricity around her fingers. The officer paled a little, but still refused to move out of her way.

"Imperial Defence, my lord", he answered, and the young Sith made a face.

"Lucky you", she growled. "Well, since your master, or your master's master, whatever, explicitly requested my presence on this mission here, I'd say I am part of the essential personnel. If you don't think so, I'll leave, but then it's your job to explain to Lord Fortis why his support crew isn't here."

Regulations and formalities had a tendency to get on Victoria's nerves, and with the cold darkness almost enshrouding her mind and body, she didn't have much patience left.

The soldier saluted, and moved aside.

"Of course, my lord. Welcome to the hangar."

* * *

Kneeling on the ground a short distance from the shuttle's entrance and waiting for the appearance of the Darth in command, Victoria was glad that she was wearing Serpentis' old armour again. The protective plating sheltered her kneecaps from both the cold and the uncomfortable hardness of the ground, a clear advantage in comparison to her old silk robes. Still, she really needed to find herself an adequate replacement for the armour – neither the scorched surface nor the amputated shoulder parts of its chest piece were especially nice to look at.

The young Sith heard steps, and didn't have to look up to locate the black-armoured Sith Lord she was waiting for. Even with her eyes closed, she could nearly see his silhouette through any number of short-range obstacles, drawn in cold, dark flames that nevertheless managed to burn themselves into her mind's eye. The footsteps stopped at the entrance, and the inquisitor bowed her head deeper.

"Dark Lord", she greeted, with as much calm as she could. After their last meeting, Victoria had already suspected that the next would become awkward, but right now, it was worse than she'd imagined. Her whole skin seemed to crawl, and her muscles felt as if some of those obnoxious Kaas jungle flies were fluttering through them. At least she didn't have to wait long for a reaction.

"Lord Kell. Is something wrong?"

Confused, the young Sith looked up.

"No, Dark Lord. Reporting for duty and awaiting your orders", she answered, not really sure why the Darth would ask, or shake his head slightly.

"Team Aurek, gear up and take your positions. Droids, too. Lord Kell, with me."

Following the warrior towards the shuttle's controls, and leaving both the troops and her droids in the small spacecraft's main room, Victoria wasn't that sure what had gone wrong this time. She couldn't really put her finger on it, but would have bet anything that the Darth wasn't pleased. Fortis was guarding his mind and emotions, making it all but impossible to guess his inner thoughts, but there had been some little hints in his tone and body language.

As soon as they had reached the relative privacy of the shuttle's helm section, the heavily-armoured warrior turned and spoke without preamble.

"Kell. Why are you doing this?"

Blinking, Victoria winced at the sound of deep cavern echoes in his voice. If this was their new standard way of communicating, she was in for a funny mission.

"I beg your pardon, Dark Lord, but I have no idea what you are talking about", she answered carefully, and had to concentrate hard not to recoil when the dark and recently also menacing figure closed some of the distance between them.

"I am talking about this. Kneeling, not looking up, formal address."

Stopping herself from flinching, the young Sith lifted her gaze in complete surprise.

"It is customary to kneel in front of a Dark Councillor, Dark Lord", she defended herself, and wondered how in the universe she'd gotten into this situation. It was a tad weird, that was for sure.

"Kell, if everybody insisted to clean the ground with his or her respective greaves in my presence, we wouldn't get anything done at all. Please stop this."

Too close, again. Not only her stomach was behaving funny, but the young Sith's lung seemed to be affected, too; perhaps the shuttle's air was lacking in oxygen. Anyway, the assassin was breathing a bit faster than normal.

"As you wish, Dark Lord", she answered, relieved that she could skip that particular form of greeting from now on. Paying deference to somebody was one thing, but hurting muscles in her back were another.

"Kell, that's..."

It was rare for Fortis to hesitate.

"… a start, at least", he continued, and Victoria didn't believe that she only imagined the carefully neutral, composed tone. Finally the Sith Lord turned, busying himself with the shuttle's navigation controls, and the young inquisitor could breathe normally again.

* * *

 _Hammer Station, Landing Pads, 28 BEA_

Finding and boarding the ex-Republic station was easier than Lord Kell would have guessed. She didn't know what favours Fortis had pulled with Imperial Intelligence, but he'd secured a prototype cloaking device for their shuttle, and made the most of it. Those devices weren't perfect by any standard, but it had been sufficient to mask their arrival. Good thing, really, for the battle station had a crew compartment of about ten thousand people. Victoria was quite sure that the current population was less, and not all of them were fighters, but even battling with only a tenth of them would be tedious. Better to just sneak in, get the data, sabotage the station's core, and get out before the thing blew up.

"Team Aurek, defend this position. Lord Kell, tactical assessment regarding your droids?"

Glad about the familiar battle routine, which left no time for awkwardness or insecurity, Victoria looked around.

"I recommend leaving them to protect the shuttle", she answered. "We'll probably trigger the alarms soon enough, and then it's best to secure our exit route. The two of us will be safe enough without additional blaster support, Dark Lord."

There was a moment's pause in which Victoria got the impression that she'd said or done something wrong again.

"Agreed."

* * *

Staying in the shadows and hiding both herself and her ally with the Force was easy enough for the young assassin, despite her recent... issues. Their recent issues. Whatever. Lots of smaller droids were working on one thing or another, and some larger battle droids patrolled through the tunnels of the station, but those machines were fooled easily. The same was true for the occasional stray Advoszec now and then. But when the two Sith reached a larger rock cavern, with a security door at its end and a giant tunneler droid before it, Victoria stopped.

"Improved sensors on that thing, and we'll need to hack that door there, anyway, Dark Lord", she whispered through the Force, but sensed no surprise.

"Then time for secrecy is past. For the Empire."

Ignoring the alarms that started to ring everywhere, the young assassin activated her dual lightsaber and followed the black-clad warrior, who had wasted no time and literally jumped at the enemy machine without any mortal concerns.

"This is Battlelord Kreshan to all personnel..."

Ignoring the bawling Advoszec's comm messages, Victoria started to carve some deep scratches into the droid's hull. Fortis was drawing its complete attention again, as usual, and was currently busy sidestepping its deadly targeted drill laser.

Wait. Movement? Some smaller droids had appeared out of nowhere, but there was something about them that troubled the young assassin.

"Droid support, Dark Lord!"

Perhaps it was their motions that made Victoria uneasy – they didn't even seem to possess strategy algorithms, but simply closed in on their opponents...

Oh no. Blast it.

The young Sith reacted fast enough to jump out of a droid's way, and prevented herself from sticking her lightsaber into it. Instead, she reached out with the Force, and threw the smaller machine into the back wall. The resulting explosion shook the cavern.

"Correction: _Explosive_ droid support, Dark Lord!"

Abandoning all attempts to destroy the drill robot for now, Victoria deactivated her saber and started to run circles, while playing Force ping pong with the never-ending stream of demolition droids. She heard Fortis hiss something that sounded vaguely like an acknowledgement, but had no time to check for details, as the number of enemy machines increased. Soon, all of the walls around them were covered in black, smoking craters. And there were still more of them.

"Kell. I have got a name."

What in the... Distracted, Victoria nearly stepped into the target zone of the drilling laser, but was hit by a cold Force wall that made her stumble out of the danger.

"Uh, I suppose so, Dark Lord?" she commented, and waved her hand, eliminating another of the flying droids. The irritation in Fortis' voice had been hard to miss.

"Then I suggest you start to use it."

Victoria threw herself to the ground, evading another of the annoying robots, and hit two of them simultaneously with the Force.

"Even if I dared to, I couldn't. I don't know it, Dark Lord", she pressed out, as she rolled out of harm's way again and crashed another moving bomb into the station. Once, she'd been curious enough to hack Fortis' files, but even those were nearly completely empty. Somebody was quite insistent in protecting his privacy.

"That one is all but forgotten. I meant the name 'Fortis'."

A loud crash and a giant explosion, timed to coincide with the last word, and the tunneler droid was scrap metal. Even the flood of explosive techno flies had run dry. Absentmindedly, Victoria scratched her head, succeeding in smearing the grime on her fingers all over her face.

"If you insist, Dark Lo... Darth Fortis", she answered, and ripped out the security door out of its fundament. The corresponding wall had suffered so many explosions that there wasn't much resistance left. The way to the security wing was clear.

* * *

 _Hammer Station, Security Wing, 28 BEA_

Out of the shadows, Victoria tried to assess the opposition. One droid, two fighters. Was that supposed to be a trap? She didn't sense more soldiers nearby, and the security console they'd need to gain access to the station's data was within sight. More droids, perhaps? The young Sith was pretty sure that they'd find out soon enough, for Fortis already signalled to attack.

The enemy droid went down fast, neatly cut in half by the warrior's first strike. Victoria challenged one of the two elite soldiers, but spared a look now and then to check on her companion. Tactical reasons, of course – she had far better things to do than to simply admire his flawless movements, or the sheer strength and Force skills with which he overpowered his opponents in record time...

Ugh. She really needed a holiday. Alone, and away from this whole mess. Perhaps somewhere in a cold, isolated mountain range or something.

"Kell. A second of your time."

Blocking another strike, Victoria turned her head slightly. Fortis was still duelling with his trooper, but it had certainly not been a call for assistance; the young Sith was puzzled about the interruption.

"What do you wish, Darth Fortis?" she called, and struck another blow. These Advoszec were tougher than they looked.

"We have been on board of this station for more than two hours, and you have uttered no death threat, no single insult, and not even one improper alliteration."

Evading another attack, and throwing her lightsaber for a change, it took the inquisitor some seconds to answer.

"I suppose you are right, Darth Fortis", she answered, and collected her weapon from the fallen enemies' corpse. Somewhere behind her, the black-armoured Sith had also finished his own adversary. Hurrying towards the security console, Victoria cracked the feeble encryption with ease and copied everything that looked remotely useful to an empty datapad. Intelligence could deal with the rest, including potential viruses. Then she opened the security doors protecting the station's leader, and caused some adequate distractions by blowing up all power conduits on the engineering level. One single algorithm, and at least five hundred dead Advoszec... never underestimate computer science.

"I'd like you to do something about that."

What?

"Uh, I have copied the data as fast as I could, Darth Fortis, and the station can't be destroyed from here..." the young Sith replied, but got the severe impression that she was missing the point. "Wait. You didn't just _order_ me to provoke you, did you?"

Either she was suffering from illusions, or the world had gone fully mad without her noticing the first symptoms.

"I did."

Oh hells.

"Er..." Victoria trailed off, mind blank, caught completely off guard. The black mask was way too close again for her to be remotely comfortable. "Son... of a..."

The Darth had still drawn his lightsaber. If there was ever a dictionary that needed a visual for the definitions of 'menacing' or 'threatening', she'd know what image to recommend.

"… human?" she chirped, as her throat refused to work, and lifted her hands. "Or perhaps Chiss, with pupil implants and pigmentation issues, not that there's anything wrong with that..."

A single sigh was her answer. In the silence of the room, it sounded amazingly loud.

"I won't deny the 'human' part, but unless you are an Advoszec, this is no insult. We should focus on that battle lord for now, though."

* * *

 _Hammer Station, Section Zero, 28 BEA_

Reaching Battlelord Kreshan and the master console, from which they could start a critical system overload that would destroy the whole station, turned out to be trivial. Both Sith just needed to follow the stream of obscenities that flowed out of the scattered comm consoles, and kill a number of elite guards on their way.

Fighting against three Advoszec soldiers at the same time, Victoria wasn't that surprised any more when Fortis spoke again.

"Kell, it was not my intention to scare you."

Pride one, brain zero.

"What makes you think I'm afraid, Dark Lord?" the young Sith answered reflexively, and decapitated another enemy. But there were more. Many more.

The resulting silence from her ally spoke louder than any words. Slowly, the floor started to fill with corpses.

"Victoria. When I asked your master for support, I was hoping for your assistance, and not some soulless drone who has borrowed your armour."

 _Drone?_ Now, wait a second... Slowly, red sparks began to gather before the inquisitor's eyes.

"I'm still me, Dark Lord", she answered, as composed and controlled as she could, and used her fury to burn the next Advoszec to ashes.

"'Son of a human'? Seriously?"

Too busy to flinch, Victoria cut another attacker into pieces.

"Very funny, Dark Lord", the young Sith countered, and struggled to maintain control. "If I wasn't busy fighting, I'd probably allow myself a laugh."

Three more soldiers fell before her, taken down by a powerful arch of Force lightning, but wrath-fuelled electricity was still playing around her limbs and searching for further outlets. But her brother-in-arms didn't appear to be willing to let the topic rest.

"I assume it is more realistic than the 'blackened bat' curse you once used. The same is true for 'son of a k'lor'slug'."

Gnashing her teeth, Victoria refused to answer, and only scorched a whole group of Advoszec reinforcements. Why in the galaxy had the black-armoured nuisance felt the need to memorise all of her breaches of rules?

"I did prefer 'son of a dustbin', though."

Cutting through what felt like the hundredth enemy, the young Sith couldn't help but wonder at Fortis' tone. He sounded way too... neutral, all of a sudden. Far, far too neutral. Why? What hidden meaning did she miss? 'Dustbin' was surely not the worst thing she'd ever used as means of comparison...

 _Dustbin._

As in _'Son of a dustbin. I need you.'_

She had only used that phrase once. And the assassin had been so sure that the Darth had been unconscious during that moment on Kaon.

Her mind seemed to black out for a moment, but when Victoria opened her eyes again, she saw an impressive layer of smouldering ashes around her, while her fingers and arms where still covered in brilliant bright flames. Only two other beings were left standing on their feet, and in one case, only barely. The young Sith stalked over to the unsteady, half-fallen Advoszec Battlelord, who tried to spout some nonsense about weakness or blood again, and ripped him apart with the Force without consideration for the mess that this caused. Well, the whole station was going to explode shortly, anyway, so bloodstains everywhere were nothing to be concerned about.

Then the assassin turned to her ally, who hadn't been affected by her Force eruption at all, and felt the dark fire in her mind nearly burn through her sanity again.

"I'll cut you into little pieces, blasted black bastard spawn of Ardor's deepest shadows", she hissed, besides herself, made one step forward... and paused, without really knowing why. There was no Force wall that had stopped her, no distraction, the figure before her hadn't even raised his lightsaber.

And yet she couldn't even take one more step in his direction. Three words, three syllables, eight letters whispered through her mind, and finally, slowly, Victoria started to really understand what their combination meant.

She turned again, as quickly as she could, as the flames went out and all her muscles started shaking. Steadying herself on the console, the young assassin blinked and blinked again, trying and failing to control the strange moisture that had suddenly appeared in her eyes. Breathing hard, she didn't even hear any movements around her, but suddenly felt a light touch on her shoulder.

"Victoria. It wasn't my intention to hurt you. I considered it likely that you'd benefit from releasing your anger, but I may have been in error."

Anger... Right now the young Sith had severe problems defining what exactly it was that she was angry about.

"Too far away..." she murmured, half-chuckling, not even caring that she'd actually spoken these words. "Why in all three hells did you have to be on the Dark Council?"

She hadn't expected an answer, yet it came promptly. And in a tone that was way lighter than those Fortis usually used.

"Because someone has to take care of all the problems the other Dark Councillors cause", the Darth answered dryly. "I could use some help up there, though. And while your master will probably be not amused about this – these are unusual circumstances. Have you never wondered what Serpentis is planning? Didn't you notice that she's doing everything she can to help you become a Darth? You've held the necessary raw power for years now, but you have finally reached enough influence as well that few if any ambitious lords will dare to challenge you. That was your master's concern: promoting you, just to lose you to some upstart she'd have to cut down in retaliation. The infighting between Sith has grown worse for years, not only in the Dark Council."

Blinking again, Victoria tried to process the information. It was too much, though, too fast.

"What?"

The light touch remained on her shoulder.

"In short: You should think of a new Sith name, Lord Kell. Chances are high that you will need one in the near future."

Pretty sure that she was simply dreaming, Victoria started to chuckle quietly. Laughing was good; it was what Sith did. And it was way better than crying, at least.

"Not much to think about", she answered. "I more or less have to pick 'Draconis', don't I? With 'Kell', like the dragon, and the fire, and everything?"

Still, she sensed... disagreement through the Force.

"It will be your decision, Victoria. But you are not a mindless beast."

A black-armoured arm reached towards the console, and activated the self-destruction sequence on a timer.

* * *

Hurrying towards the assault shuttle, the two Sith didn't face any notable opposition. Victoria had put on her master's old mask again; she was still not convinced that her traitorous eyes would cooperate. Fortis had already signalled the crew; when they reached the shuttle pad, the spacecraft was floating in the air, entrance open, and ready to depart as soon as the strike team was on board. The black-armoured warrior was faster, or simply more used to jumping medium distances from his usual battle tactics; he waited, and stretched out his arm, though. After the day she'd had, Victoria wasn't so proud to refuse a helping hand when offered.

"Not too far away, it seems."

It was Fortis' voice, and yet it wasn't – there were neither gravestone echoes in his tone, nor the usual cold in his aura, which normally seemed to ring through his words as well. Suddenly, the young assassin was very glad that her face was hidden behind steel.

"Da... Fortis?" she asked, and collected what Force she could call upon to control her voice. "Your armour is ugly, your lightsaber is ugly, your mask is ugly, and your flagship is ugly. And you are one damned dark defiant deliberate determined Darth."


	19. The Alliance

_The Gravestone, Kitchen, 5 AEA_

Looking around and at what appeared to be another massacre in the making, Raven sighed and wondered about what had gone wrong this time. Deciding that she could worry about it later, the young Sith moved her hand, and cleared up at least some of the flour that was gathering everywhere but in the bowl. Even gravity seemed to be astonishingly unreliable these days.

And, naturally, this was the precise point in time when the kitchen door opened.

"Hey, sis, I need a second of your ti... Uh, what happened here?"

Turning to the golden-haired warrior, the inquisitor shrugged. "Ashara was kind enough to share the recipe for Tarisian breakfast rolls back in the good old days, but I never found the time to try it out. Since the 'medical inquisition squad', also known as 'Lana', was very clear and thorough in forbidding me everything but slow, controlled movements during my recovery from being nearly cut in half, I'm trying to do something useful with the resources I have. And staying in bed for another hour would have been torture."

Lea, who had visibly perked up at the phrase 'breakfast rolls', checked the state of the dough and hummed disappointedly. "Those will still need quite some time until they're ready for eating, right? And here I had hoped for a nice second breakfast..."

The Jedi started to rummage through the fridge, until Raven couldn't help but take pity on her sister.

"You might want to check the freezer, Lea", she advised, "there's still some cheese cake left."

Whistling what appeared to be the Republic anthem, albeit in the interpretation of a drunken Wookie without the slightest idea of its usual pitch, the Barsen'thor dug into the cold depths, and found her target. Amazed, Raven stopped concentrating on her work and just enjoyed the show. Then she coughed carefully.

"Just so you know, sis, most people would have defrosted the goods before eating", she remarked gently. "Or restricted themselves to one piece of cake, not three."

Chewing and creating sounds like a rancor chomping on some permacrete blocks, the young Jedi had to struggle before swallowing, but beamed like a twin of the sun nonetheless.

"I know, but most people are boring", she retorted, and burped, but silently. "Ah, that's better. Now, I thought you might be feeling well enough again to help me solve a mystery."

Serious again, the Barsen'thor looked at Raven with her golden eyes.

"Is there any friendly Sith or fallen Jedi somewhere in the galaxy, who would risk his or her life to save you?"

Huh?

"Pardon?" Raven asked, sure that she had missed a pun somewhere. "If you're asking on whether or not I have kept a secret lover from your inquisitive gaze: No, I haven't. Otherwise I would surely not have endured that mortifying... _talk_... we had that other day. Why would you even ask? You know I'm, how did you put it once, 'head over heels' into Theron."

Lea just shrugged. "Sure, but that doesn't exclude the possibility that someone out there has a crush on you, or something", she commented. "Okay, I already thought so, but that doesn't explain anything, then."

"Would you mind doing some explaining yourself? I'm perfectly happy talking to you, but you appearing out of nowhere and asking me about secret romances is a bit weird, even for you."

Lea frowned slightly. "Doesn't have to be a romance, to be fair. Any old ally I don't know about? Just somebody who has a whole heap of dark Force power at his or her disposal, and doesn't hesitate to throw it through half of the galaxy."

Dark Force power?

Memory hit, together with realisation. Despite her being all but unconscious after being hurt by Arcann's blade, Raven remembered sensing darkness, and cold. And the smell of ozone, and the hiss of Force lightning storming around her.

"So it really was another presence what I sensed", she whispered in wonder. "I couldn't help but notice that it was a bit much what you did back then – healing me, running, and killing off anything hostile around us at the same time."

Nodding, Lea took some of the finished dough, and started to help forming rolls.

"The only thing I could think about was pouring as much Force into you as possible to keep you in the lands of the living, while getting you to the next kolto tank as fast as possible. I didn't have enough offensive Force power left to scare a stray squirrel. And yet there was suddenly this Force storm roaring around us, like a shield of black ice that followed my every movement, and a hint of an aura that I couldn't quite place. Since any opponent in sight was falling down screaming, I just continued running until we'd reached the Gravestone. And there, the storm was gone as suddenly as it had started."

Meaning to scratch her head, but remembering in time that it was a bad idea while one's hands were covered in dough, Raven proceeded to clear her fingers.

"Well, you know, the most obvious candidate would be Vitiate. He's got more than enough power to kill those guys, and he has a certain interest in preserving his current host body. My body."

The smell of burned dough alerted the young assassin to the fact that she hadn't cleaned her hands very thoroughly, and that the electricity playing around her limbs during her words was more than just a simple light show. Trying for some Jedi serenity instead of Sith wrath, she closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

"But it wasn't him. I may have been all but out like a candle, but I know his aura. I know his insidious whisperings, his manipulation, his suffocating attitude, and even the slightest shadow of his active presence in my mind reliably doubles my blood pressure. He tried to tempt me into accepting his help before, but didn't react afterwards. Which may actually be a hint that his connection to me is deep enough for him to get hurt when I'm hurt..."

Golden eyes gleamed dangerously.

"Don't even dare to think about suggesting anything like that as a tactic", Lea warned, and Raven had rarely seen her sister less amused than in this moment. "I'm serious. Giving your life to make the world eating monster suffer through a headache is not a good idea. But we are about to lose focus here. _Somebody_ did help you there, somebody who might make a strong ally."

"Well, it wasn't Lana – she was busy fighting, and you would have recognized her aura. And you also know about my old apprentices", Raven mused. "Ashara, Xalek, Kaal and Corrin... I'm still more or less confident that at least the young Togruta and the Kaleesh are alive, but even with five years of additional training, I'd doubt any of them could have intervened so severely. Besides, Force lightning isn't Ashara's style at all, and Xalek prefers close-quarters combat. I had other allies, but none of them with both the necessary raw power and personal connection to me that they could have sensed my need for help, and acted accordingly. Unless we're also counting the dead, of course. My, uh, our ancestor, Lord Kallig, did already save me from great danger, twice..."

Frowning, Lea put the backing tray into the oven.

"Didn't you say that Kallig was all but gone the last time you talked to him? Besides, ghosts can appear at different points in the galaxy under certain circumstances, if they have an anchor of some sort, but they can't just project what's left of their Force. At least as far as I know. And I definitely sensed no ghostly presence around us."

"So we are looking for a living person, then. Doesn't help much, but it's a start", the assassin commented, and mentally crossed out a number of spirits from her list. She'd have been very surprised if Darth Andru or one of the other ghostly guests from her fight against Thanaton had suddenly reappeared to help her, and she didn't expect assistance from Revan, either, but there were others she'd lost to the war. Fighting against what was half memory, half carbonite nightmare, the inquisitor blinked away the pictures of dark nightmare stones and blood on the ground, and gripped some more dough with more force than strictly necessary. Hints of an idea formed behind her eyes, and Raven stared into the bowl, wondering if mentioning it would do more harm than good. It wasn't very likely, but there weren't so many options left...

"Spit it out, sis. I know you well enough to realize it when you are trying to protect me."

Sighing, Raven turned to the Jedi.

"Did it ever occur to you that our mysterious power source might have wanted to help you instead of me? Somebody who's close enough to you to sense your distress would also have known that you wouldn't just leave me, despite the odds, and that clearing out a path to safety was the best way to guarantee your survival."

Watching her sister start to mop up some broken eggs from the floor, the young assassin was pretty sure that Lea hadn't thought about that possibility.

"Ouch", the Barsen'thor commented, but worry shone through her mask of calmness. "You know what that'd imply, yes? It was _dark_ power that we sensed. One of my peers in the Jedi, fallen to the dark side, but still retaining enough of his or her former self to either care about my welfare, or at least about the fight against Zakuul? I haven't heard from Master Syo in a very long time. Master Yuon is missing, but hasn't been declared KIA yet – I can't sense her, but with the Force in chaos, that doesn't mean as much as it used to. As the grandmaster always said..."

Biting her tongue, the consular stopped herself. Looking into the pale face of her sister, Raven was suddenly very sure that they were both wondering the same thing. The oven beeped, signalling that the first of the rolls were ready, but neither of them felt hungry any more.

* * *

 _The Gravestone, Medical Bay, 5 AEA_

"So, what's the verdict, Doc? Am I allowed to move normally again, or am I to greet our new or old allies on Odessen on crutches?"

Looking at Lana, Raven hoped that it would be the first option. The bandages felt itchy, and having to walk around in slow-motion wasn't very helpful for her mental well-being. The blonde Sith in question ignored the sarcasm, and continued checking the data on her console.

"As far as I can tell, your wound is healing with remarkable speed. I knew that your sister is strong, but for somebody with just basic healer training, she certainly did astonishing work. Well, she and the kolto. If you promise to try to avoid weight lifting, white-water rafting, or traditional Mandalorian discussions while on Odessen, I'm willing to declare you as fit for duty again."

Relief nearly overwhelmed the young Sith, and she nodded.

"No rafting, no brawling, promise. Just me walking around shaking hands, and trying to pose as a leader figure who has a plan for defeating Arcann's empire."

Lana's raised eyebrows made the relief that Raven was feeling short-lived.

"Just remember that bedroom sports can be strenuous exercise as well, my friend..."

With a wink of her hand, the young assassin conjured herself a huge kolto pad from their supply stash, which she put unceremoniously over her face to hide her blush.

"Some extra kolto here and there is good for one's skin", she invented wildly, "especially if one is suffering from side-effects of long-term carbonite freezing..."

Her Sith Lord friend only shook her head. Raven might not be able to see it through the kolto pad, but she heard Lana's blonde hair rustle with the movement.

"Not impossible", the yellow-eyed sorceress admitted, "but I'd assume that it works better when you remove the protective hull around the actual pad."

* * *

 _Odessen, Orbit, 5 AEA_

Nearly glued to the observation windows, Raven watched as Odessen, their mysterious sanctuary world, drew nearer and nearer. But it wasn't only the visual that fascinated her; the planet was strong in the Force, but shared neither Korriban's terrible shadowy cold, nor Tython's blinding hard light. Instead, it was radiating a certain... warmth. Something almost familiar seemed to be calling out to her, something new, yet... old. Like an ancient memory she'd forgotten having, similar to an old friend that she hadn't thought of in ages, there was something about this shining jewel of a planet that simply seemed to welcome her.

"Weird, isn't it?" Lea whispered next to her. "I feel like that planet is watching me. Observing me, personally. Monitoring my every move and even my thoughts. It's not as bad as your ancient Sith worlds with regards to their dark Force emissions, but something in me just doesn't want to go anywhere near this rock."

Closing her eyes to dig deeper, Raven breathed slowly and concentrated hard, opening all her senses to the Force. But even with her full power, she couldn't sense anything that caused her distress. Turning her head slightly, the Sith wondered what that might mean.

"Strange. To me it feels as if the planet is a home that has been waiting for me for years", she answered, awkwardly. "Do you think somebody is manipulating one of us? Or is this planet darker than I thought, and I just got so used to Korriban and Dromund Kaas that I'm not able to notice it any more?"

Frowning deeply, the Barsen'thor stared outside again.

"Hm... no, it isn't exactly darkness that I sense. More like... curiosity. I'd even agree that the planet is waiting for me, for us, but 'home'? That's not the word I'd have used. I'm more reminded of Bothan sundew, and I feel particularly like a fly when I look at that world. Makes me uneasy."

Raven grasped her datapad, and checked the list of allies that Lana had provided.

"Is there any particular Sith Lord you've had trouble with in the past, and who could be on Odessen right now? That might explain why our impressions are so different."

"All of the Sith that have bothered me in the past are either dead, or redeemed", her sister answered, and shrugged. "Only exception I know of is Vitiate, but I don't think that he's responsible. And while there could indeed be some Sith spirits on Odessen, whose visits would trouble me, but not you, I don't consider their presence likely, either. I guess we will learn more once we arrive."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, Outskirts, 5 AEA_

Odessen. Finally standing on solid, stony-muddy-grassy but decidedly non-swampy ground, Raven closed her eyes and just took some seconds to breathe. There was a hint of a flowery scent in the air, and a sense of moisture, remnants of a light spring rain. Odessen was clearly a garden world, and a beautiful one on top. How long had it been since the young Sith had just stood on a planet's surface without a threat of imminent doom hanging directly over her head? Everything after Rishi had been a hectic blur of preventing one catastrophe, just to slide headfirst into the next. Granted, there had been some brighter spots in between... Looking into the colourful sunset, Raven didn't even mind that she was blushing again.

"Odessen, huh?" Koth commented; her companions had started to explore the planet, too. "Could it be there's really a place where no one wants to kill us?"

Lana nodded, and the young inquisitor sensed that her friend was completely certain.

"I hand-picked it myself. We'll be safe."

Ignoring the bickering of her friends and associates, who started to discuss SCORPIO and her presence on the bridge again, Raven took some steps towards the edge of the woods, and sat down on a stone. It still held some of the warmth of the day, and if there had indeed be rain a short while ago, it's surface had dried up already. Small flowers covered the ground with a sea of colours, but unlike Korriban, their beauty was not deceptive. After the bog apple fiasco on Zakuul, the young Sith took extra care to acquire additional information on plant life for the planets that they visited, and the vegetation in sight didn't have any thorns, nor did it contain any notable poisons.

Touching the ground and listening with all her senses again, the assassin felt nothing at first. But with each passing moment, with each cry of a bird in the distance, with each breath of cool forest air, the feeling of pleasant warmth increased. Perhaps 'security' was a better term – the visceral feeling that no harm would come to her on this planet. There was really something strangely familiar about this world, despite its obvious differences to Korriban's red dust, Ziost's grey streets, and Dromund Kaas' sticky jungles.

Next to her, Raven heard the sounds of soft steps on flexible ground.

"You like it here, don't you?" Lea mused. "It really is a beautiful planet. Doesn't feel as bad as before, which is good, but I'd still like to know why the planet's sight had me spooked there for a while. There is still a hint of that impression left, but I can't really put my finger on it, you know? Like a small, sudden cold breeze on a warm day that doesn't help you cool down, but makes you shudder instead."

The Barsen'thor shook her head.

"Anyway, it looks like a good planet for hunting, or training, and even the perfect spot for R&R. There's a beach on that lake over there, but I'd suggest postponing the really fun stuff until you're completely fit again."

Not daring to ask what her sister considered 'fun' in this context, Raven just nodded and readied herself for the tasks that were to come.

* * *

"Well, here we are. This is your new alliance."

Sith. Jedi. Imperial and Republic troopers. Medics, engineers, technicians. Humans, Twi'lek, Sith Purebloods, Chiss, a Wookie, some Ugnaughts, Mirialan, Miraluka... Raven was looking at a whole cross section of the entire known galaxy, considering that even Zakuul renegades were present. Quite a lot of them, actually, since the refugees from Zakuul had joined them on the surface. Glad that she could finally offer these poor souls something better than the dangers of an ancient warship, the young Sith smiled a content smile. The troops would need masses of resources, housing, and everything; it might even be beneficial if they established a small colony to help with food production. Achieving self-sufficiency was out of the question, but if just a little bit of pressure could be taken from their supply lines, it would be worth it.

Smiling towards Lana, Raven tilted her head.

"It's a good start", she answered, and started to calculate in earnest. With the number of troops and resources available, securing fresh water shouldn't be any issue at all on Odessen. Each defected ship surely had a stash of rations and weapons on board, but those wouldn't last forever, and so food would be a priority. And more barracks, of course, which would free valuable room on the ships. Transport optimization, new contacts... they'd need better communication infrastructure, badly. And, even more important, increased security. They'd need protection against spies, traitors, and against the Eternal Empire's fleet sensors, at least once the traffic from and to Odessen got noticeable. Best case scenario would be hiring some top scientists, and some smugglers, and hoping that there were enough seasoned veterans among the Imperial and Republic troops to integrate newcomers and form their forces towards a true alliance. Artisans and craftsmen among the civilians would definitely be a plus.

"We all had a hand in getting here, but you've been the centre", a smiling Koth interrupted the assassin's thoughts. "You made it possible. Now, show them what you're made of."

Well, giving big speeches was not something that Raven particularly enjoyed, but her time on the Dark Council had at least given her some routine in dealing with these situations. Clearing her throat, the young Sith called everybody together. Well aware of the curious, suspicious, hopeful, and sometimes even admiring glances, she lifted her head and allowed the confidence that she felt at the sight of so many different people, so many different backgrounds, that were still standing together for what was likely the first time in years, to radiate from her.

"The galaxy as we know it is gone", Raven stated, but didn't allow herself time to dwell on the thought, or what it meant in detail. "The institutions we knew have fallen, but we can't let that be a source of panic or defeat. We have an opportunity to build something together – an alliance each of us can be vested in. We don't all share the same ideologies, but every one of you is here because you believe we can transcend our differences."

She looked around, and saw that people nodded. Sith and Jedi, next to each other, their blades deactivated. Imperial and Republic soldiers, tentatively starting to trade jokes, or the occasional ration bar. Progress, here, directly before her eyes. The old hate, now diminishing, making room for curiosity, and in time, perhaps even friendship.

"I believe it, too", the young Sith continued, and spoke now with all the conviction that she had. "Either we succeed together, or we fail alone. Let's not fail."

"Just as I thought", Lea commented next to her. "Darth Imperius is back, and with style."

* * *

Odessen's sun had sunken below the horizon in the meantime, but there was still a hint of colour left in the sky. Enjoying the cool evening air, Raven wandered outside the main base, towards the makeshift landing pads, and watched as more and more stars became visible in the darkness of the night. Some rustling here and there told of small animals, but those were peaceful sounds. The planet seemed to prepare itself for a good night's rest, and the young assassin pondered on whether to enjoy the peace and quiet for some time longer, or to join the others for a short strategy talk, and then some sleep. She was certainly tired enough, even though she'd spent the last days doing nothing but recovering from her wounds.

A shuttle appeared in the distance, and Raven followed its trajectory with her gaze. It was a Republic model, as far as she could see, and its pilot seemed to know what he or she was doing. Even without the amenities of a real spaceport, like generous plain surfaces or sufficient lighting, the landing was flawless. Deciding that greeting the newcomers would probably be for the best, the young assassin moved towards the spacecraft, and appeared just in time for the post-landing checks to finish. Blinking at the bright light from the shuttle's interior, it was the sound of light footsteps that suddenly made the Sith's heart miss a beat. She _knew_ these steps, knew the rhythm, even knew the faint hint of the aftershave, shampoo, lotion or whatever it was – she'd never dared to ask, in case it was some embarrassing remedy against head lice or something.

But it couldn't be… or could it?

An outline appeared in the shuttle's entrance, details and colour lost to the back light of the scene, but Raven didn't need those for confirmation any longer. Each living being, no matter if Force sensitive or not, formed certain bonds with their surroundings. Luminous beings they were, each of them, so far more than just crude matter, and for those who could see with the eyes of the Force, the aura of life itself became visible, near tangible, no matter how many lamps there were around.

And this silhouette, these movements in the Force, from the obvious lack of Force sensitivity down to the shadows of the slightly ridiculous haircut… she'd know them anywhere. Heart pounding like crazy, yet still somehow frozen, Raven stood in the dimly lit area in front of the shuttle and was vaguely aware that the man on the shuttle's entrance ramp had stopped moving, too.

"Like what you've done with the place", he spoke, but despite the casual tone, there were certain cracks in his voice. Light was now falling on well-known features, reflecting in familiar implants, showing eyes the assassin had so often seen in her dreams, and an expression that appeared to be quite… guarded. Why?

"Theron Shan."

Raven had spoken these words, his name, without thinking about it, but the small movement of her lips seemed to lift the spell she'd been under. She took a step forward, suddenly cautious, wondering why he was still standing there like a statue.

"Hadn't seen you in a while…" Theron said, voice trailing away, still weirdly casual, without any real emotion. What was wrong?

"Eh, well, yes, with the whole carbonite sleep thing, that was to be expected", Raven commented, as a slight annoyance made her voice sound more normal again. She took another step, which brought her directly in front of the Republic agent, and lifted her hand towards his own.

"Theron…?"

Their fingers touched, and the effect was instantaneous. Her old ally jerked as if struck by lightning, which made the assassin fear that her short-lived anger had indeed hurt him for a second, but the shock seemed to be more figuratively than physical.

"You _are_ real", the former SIS agent whispered, voice all but broken, and then neither of them said anything for a long while.

* * *

Finally parting for air, and wondering whether she'd ever feel her lips again, Raven allowed her head to rest on Theron's shoulder for a moment. After a second, though, laughter started to rise within her, like playful bubbles of air in a small, swift stream of water.

"Stars, this isn't the same old jacket you wore on Rishi and Yavin 4, is it? How long has it been, five years? I still remember that little gap there in the material, and this feels exactly the same."

It was too dark to be completely certain, but the young Sith would have bet anything that her companion… friend… boyfriend… was blushing.

"Well, it's my lucky jacket", he defended himself, with a strange mixture of amusement, and seriousness. "A talisman and memento of better times. And the Force knows that all of us needed both luck and anything that inspired hope during the last years."

"Yeah…"

Raven tightened her grip just as Theron did the same, both seeking a shield against the memories of darker times. Ignoring the resurfacing pang of her stomach wound, the assassin breathed deeply and simply enjoyed the familiar scent for a second longer.

"It's great to see you again, Theron", she murmured, suddenly fighting both laughter and tears at the same time, and had even enough presence of mind left to wonder at the sheer banality of that sentence in comparison to the chaotic, gigantic mass of emotion that was coiling inside her. The inquisitor supposed that the agent was chuckling; at least she felt his chest tremble slightly.

"It's great to see you, too", he whispered, and the sudden hitch in his voice gave away that they were both feeling the same thing.

It did take both of them quite some time until they were able to walk towards the main base, and if Raven had hoped to regain complete sensitivity of her lips again during the way, she'd have been in for a disappointment. But this numbness in certain parts of her face was definitely worth it.

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, 5 AEA_

 _"_ Well, this does certainly explain much. Like, for example, why your snoring suddenly has an echo, sis. By the way, did the two of you hit your respective heads very hard, or why in the galaxy did you fall asleep together, fully clothed, over what looks like strategic battle plans on a collection of datapads?"

Raven wholeheartedly loved her sister, but in moments like these, she had problems remembering why. Her makeshift pillow moved slightly, groaned, and moved again; from the sounds of it, the young assassin suspected that Theron had thrown one of the datapads in question.

"Morning", she grumbled. "Would you mind speaking a little more quietly, Lea? Some people around here just woke up when you invaded their private quarters."

"Morning? It's near afternoon, and I was getting worried when I couldn't find you at lunch. Saved you some of the stew your Zakuulan renegades cooked, by the way; it's far better than the rations. Just one portion, though, sorry. Next time, Theron, try calling before you appear out of nowhere."

Hmm... food? Right, there was indeed a reason that Raven loved her sister. And, luckily, Lea tended to calculate portion sizes with regards to her own appetite, and not the nutritional needs of the average human being.

When the Barsen'thor had sauntered out of the room again, the assassin looked towards her personified head cushion, and started to chuckle at his expression. The datapads scattered on the small table in front of the couch were all unread, since both of them had been busy catching up in person. Some encrypted holocalls weren't sufficient to fill five years of silence, after all.

Theron shook his head, and sighed in mock exasperation.

"I suppose it could be worse. At least she didn't bring a holo cam..."

Stopping himself, the agent checked his chrono.

"Blast it, she was right. Afternoon. Where's that trice-damned data pad... Got it!"

Wondering at the sudden hectic, Raven tried to start eating, but was interrupted by a suddenly wide awake and energetic former Republic spy.

"Told you that Lana has brought me in to manage operations, and that we needed to get into all the more-or-less official stuff, but I forgot to mention that I've got something for you."

Oh?

"The head of the lindworm you mentioned?" Raven teased, but was caught by the wrist and all but carried outside by a storm of anticipation. "Stars, you can let me down now, I am still able to walk..."

"No luck with the worm, though that's another story. But..."

Finally on solid ground again, the assassin watched as Theron activated what appeared to be a remote homing signal, or a landing permission code. At first, nothing happened, but then, even the presence of the Republic agent was eclipsed from the young Sith's conscious thought for a little while. Something moved swiftly, past the trees in the distance, closer and closer, until it circled directly over the main base before landing.

Dull grey colour, marred by solar dust and radiation. Angular plating, military style, with some new scars added to the older, familiar ones. Signal lights in Imperial red, and an engine which sounds Raven could hum within her sleep. Her old Fury interceptor landed elegantly on the ground before her, and the assassin's eyes felt strangely moist all of a sudden. When she'd ordered Andronikos to leave and to warn the Sith Empire about the imminent threat of the then-unknown enemy, she'd had no time to be afraid for him and her crew; they all had been fighting for their lives. But afterwards, during her nightmares, she'd wondered what had happened to them all. Raven knew that Andronikos would have found a way out if there had been one, but she wasn't so sure that there had indeed been a way out left. So many enemy ships, so little time...

But here it was, the first real, tangible proof that her friends had indeed had a chance to make it through those chaotic minutes. While Raven had been positive that she'd felt both Ashara and Xalek, somewhere far away, shortly after she'd woken from carbonite, she hadn't been able to reach them since, and the assassin had started to fear that it had only been an illusion, or some remnants of the carbonite damage to her brain. That was what the Fury meant to her, both memento of her freedom in the past, and symbol of hope for the future, and it warmed Raven's heart that Theron had understood its importance to her. The agent knew her well.

"Thank you", the assassin murmured, moved, and drew him closer to add a personal, non-verbal thanks as well. Since the response was more than just enthusiastic, Raven lost herself in the moment, forgetting anything around her...

Somebody coughed. Loudly.

"Really, Sith. We invisible, or something?"

"My lord, it's wonderful to see you again!"

Jumping as if hit by the very same Fury starship she'd just admired, Raven stumbled, turned, and nearly fell headfirst into a dual embrace of a grinning pirate and a smiling Togruta Jedi. Giving as good as she was getting with regards to hugs, and trying to prevent getting her kidneys squeezed to paste, the young Sith couldn't decide between laughing, or crying, and finally opted for both at the same time. Not that it was a conscious decision.

"Ashara! Andronikos! Ouch. Uh, careful, okay? Stab wound, not fully healed. Long story. But how are you... _Theron_."

Strangely enough, the agent only smiled at her attempt at sounding threatening.

"I thought it would be nice to surprise you", he commented with a twinkle in his eyes, and nodded towards the base. "When you have a moment, it's also time for that official stuff, and lunch. I'll be inside."

* * *

"A squadron run like that will fail without detailed schematics. We need hangar positions, offensive capabilities... It would also help if we understood how to disrupt the power core."

Raven closed the door behind her as quietly as possible, hoping not to interrupt the Bothan in Republic armour, and looked around. Theron was there, of course, his presence more than sufficient to distract her from the strategy talk that was going on. Besides him stood her sister, back in full armour, its spikes and general Sith style in striking contrast to its pale green and white colour scheme. But the others... There was a Hutt among the group, whose face seemed vaguely familiar to Raven; she'd probably seen him on a holo interview once, or something. A Voss and a Mirialan completed the group, but those were strangers to the young assassin.

"I cannot divine such information, nor pray to the gods of science!" the Hutt retorted, obviously offended. "All I can do is speculate. Unless, that is, we could extract such data in secret."

Turning his massive head towards the black-haired Mirialan in a pilot's vest, the scientist's demand was promptly met with a shake of her head.

"Don't look at me. I've snuck into some crazy places, but stations like these are another deal altogether."

Finding herself arm in arm with Theron, and earning a slightly exasperated look from her sister, presumably for her conspicuously innocent expression, Raven wondered on the best way to interrupt and to admit that she hadn't got a clue what they were talking about, or who they actually were. Luckily, the agent seemed to have used the last years to train his mind-reading capabilities.

"All right, we'll table it for now", he declared, and looked around, while pressing her hand slightly. "We have company."

Right. Company. She needed to focus. And that meant ignoring the pleasant feel of Theron's fingers on her skin, and trying to adjust those brain cells that weren't molten already towards work.

"Need any help?" the assassin asked, and made a valiant attempt to steer her thoughts into more appropriate directions. Her subconsciousness seemed to have a very creative day, and supplied her brain with a whole flood of ideas on what else one could probably need some help with.

"With Arcann's battle stations?" The amusement in Theron's voice alerted Raven to the fact that her face had likely given her general trail of thoughts away. "We will – soon as we understand them."

Getting serious again, he gesticulated with his free arm.

"We're building a healthy alliance, but it's not enough. The Core Worlds are still under the threat of Arcann's considerable reach. I've therefore assembled a team of specialists to help tackle the big questions and find potential recruits."

The only big question Raven could think of right now was how to get rid of the recruits in front of her as quickly as possible. There must have been some strange ingredients in that stew.

"Oysters", Lea whispered through the Force. "And if you don't mind, try closing your mouth while thinking. I don't know how many people around here can read lips."

* * *

After a short bathroom break to stop a terrible coughing fit, Raven retook her place at the war table, and tried for her best 'Arguing-with-Darth-Ravage' expression, while staring into the curious eyes of the Hutt.

"Doctor Juvard Illip Oggurobb", he introduced himself; the assassin got the impression that he was making mental notes on her skin colour, body language, and pupil diameter. "I'm no biologist, but I admit I'm fascinated by the effects of long-term carbonite poisoning on your mental faculties."

"He, I'm not poisoned, I just have a cru... er, forget it", Raven started to protest, but her brain caught up with her reflexes to prevent further damage. Stepping onto Theron's toes on purpose, because the agent had nothing better to do than chuckling at her expense, the assassin turned towards the Bothan and hoped for a distraction.

"Bey'wan Aygo. Former Fleet Admiral in the Republic Navy. Discharged, but still in this fight!"

Grateful for both his commitment and lack of quips towards her behaviour, Raven nodded to the admiral, and then looked at the Mirialan.

"Hylo Visz", she introduced herself, and the inquisitor nearly saw the newcomer's self-confidence crystallise around her like a halo. "Sure you heard of me. Broke the toughest blockade in galactic history? Republic's greatest outlaw hero, basically."

An idealistic smuggler with a conscience, or something like that? Raven made a mental node to check the history files as soon as possible, and then to invite Hylo for a drink. It sounded as if the scoundrel had many impressive stories to share. But the last person in the room interrupted her.

"Your visage surfaced in my trials. I am the Mystic Sana-Rae. I will assist you."

Feeling both thankful and slightly humbled at the illustrious group's assistance, Raven bowed formally.

"Hello, all of you, and thank you for your assistance. And no, Doctor, while I'm not opposed to providing you with a blood sample, you can't experiment on my brain."

The whole Hutt's figure seemed to deflate with disappointment.

"A pity. Perhaps another time!"

Well... no. Highly unlikely.

"If I may be so bold, I would ask a favour of you", the Hutt continued, upbeat again. "I have my trained eye on a promising recruit. A Gand, of all creatures. If you'd like to go over the details, you may find me in my splendid new laboratory."

The outpost even had a laboratory? Raven was impressed. She'd really need to thank Lana for all her preparations.

Next to her, she felt Theron move slightly.

"So that's the team", he commented. "Any questions?"

Raven squinted her eyes – that just had to be a joke.

"What do I have to do to find out more about what you've been up to all these years, preferably in a private setting?" she asked, and ignored the grumbling of her sister, who made a show of leaving the room quickly. There was again this twinkle in the agent's eyes.

"We'll get another chance to talk", he reassured the assassin. "Soon. And this time, I'll ask Lana to keep that nosy Jedi Consular over there busy."

* * *

"Standing."

Raven cursed slightly, both at Ashara's score of 19 for their Pazaak game, and the triumphant smile on the Togruta's face. Her own score was an 18, and she didn't have any cards with negative numbers in her side deck. Her next new card was... a three. Which meant more than twenty points in total, and that, in turn, meant the forth loss in a row.

"I should never have taught you that game", the assassin complained, but smiled nonetheless, happy that her old friends were with her. Ashara, in turn, chuckled.

"Come on, you just beat Andronikos three times. It's mostly luck. We could also switch to Dejarik..."

"Oh no. That would require thinking, and I'm still way too full from supper."

Yawning and stretching her arms, Raven looked from one companion to the other.

"But now that we've some time at our hands with no special obligations other than enjoying ourselves, why not tell me what you've been doing during all these years?"

The assassin knew that these memories might hurt, but they needed to talk about it, anyway. Best to do it now, in a relaxed state, before postponing it would make the experience even worse. Sighing, Ashara tilted her head.

"Yes, you're right, we've not been very forward about it. The last years were not easy, you know?"

The young Togruta looked into the distance, gaze unfocused.

"When we managed to outrun the Eternal Fleet, and the whole chaos subsided long enough for us to realize that there were no reports of you being found in one of the escape pods, I searched with the Force, but found nothing. You had such a presence in the Force while alive, and it unnerved me so that you could just die and leave no trace at all. You were not only my master, but a close friend – I should have been able to feel something in the Force. Or so I thought. And all the plans we had, for the Empire, for a brighter future, for a possible alliance with the Jedi, all of that was suddenly gone. Fallen to the Eternal Empire's conquest. They almost got me, too."

Putting her arm around the young Jedi's shoulders, Raven continued to listen.

"The Sith and Jedi were as helpless against this new enemy back then as they are now. Some were simply giving up, some were consumed by their anger and became easy prey for the Knights of Zakuul. Others were content with fighting the old enemy, after Arcann had solidified his power, and nobody seemed to have a true interest in standing up to him. Neither in the Republic, nor in the Sith Empire. So I left them all behind. You know, I think that was when I finally realized that I never belonged to either of these orders, no more than you do. And then, something called me to the darkness beyond the edge of Wild Space. I didn't really know what, but I hoped for answers."

"And good thing that you came, Ashara", Andronikos commented. "See, when none of your Council friends even spoke to me after warning them on Dromund Kaas, I took the Fury. They _may_ have grounded it before, so staying in Imperial space wasn't a good idea after that stunt. Disappearing is something I'm good in, so I dodged everything that looked like trouble for a while, and just tried to get enough information to make a plan. With you gone, and the rest of the crew dispersed, I found myself with complete freedom at my hands, but also with the desire to do something. Revenge, perhaps, for losing one of the best friends I've ever had. Or it was the need to help a little while the galaxy suffered – guess your attitude did rub off on me a bit. So I did some covert work for some local resistances here and there, and then got into trouble while on a recon run at the edge of Wild Space. Nearly crashed the Fury, got hurt myself, and there were lots of predators around who wouldn't have minded some pirate for breakfast. And suddenly an Imperial shuttle appeared out of nowhere, shot three rancors which had just ganged up to break the Fury into pieces, and Ashara here jumped out to save the day."

"Well, my sensors had picked up a well-known energy signature hours ago, so tracking the Fury was natural", the Jedi added. "With some spare parts from the shuttle, we got the starship flying again. Then we travelled back to the resistance group, traded the small shuttle for supplies, and went on to make life hard for Arcann's troops wherever we could on your old ship."

"Hit and run, you know? And then, way later, we got into contact with your Theron guy again. As soon as he'd told us that you were probably alive, and that a rescue mission was on the way, we started to work for the alliance. Oh, we brought your droids, too. 2V-R8 and HK-51 are still, well, not actually alive, but in one piece and kicking. Prison breaks were not our speciality, though, so we left that to Lana and your sister, and created some diversions on the side lines. As soon as we got the message that you were free again, we finished what we were doing, and returned to Odessen. So, well, here we are."

"And believe me, I'm grateful for that."

Raven moved her hand, and caught three glasses and a bottle of fruit juice; at the pirate's raised eyebrow, she also got a bottle of Correlian Whisky.

"Here's to us. And to a brighter future."

"To a new alliance."

Andronikos ignored the juice, and the glass, and grasped the second bottle.

"And to kicking that sodding Emperor's snivelling brat from his fancy chair!"

* * *

Following yet another sequence of half-decrypted coordinates that led into nothingness on her datapad, Raven sighed and massaged her temples. She needed more practise, but to her surprise and relief, her skills in slicing and general security weren't completely outdated. With five years of forced sleep, this was really saying something – apparently, Arcann's war had been too one-sided to lead to the usual war-time-related innovations in science.

But innovations or not, skills or not, the data set she'd downloaded to analyse proved to be elusive. It was a whole set of random fleet scans of galactic background radiation from different sources, partly Sith Empire, partly Republic, some parts of it even of Zakuul origin. 'Chaos' was putting it mildly, but the assassin had hoped to find some traces of isotope-5 radiation buried in the data. Raven refused to believe that her whole Silencer fleet had been destroyed in secret by the Eternal Empire, so she kept looking for hints on those ships. Their special engine properties were a natural target, albeit a difficult one to trace.

Her holocom beeped, and Raven looked into a welcome face.

"Hey there", she greeted, smiling. "You're a sight for sore eyes. These fleet scans here are impossible to interpret…"

"I see. Good time for a little distraction, then?"

Despite being positive that the agent hadn't inherited the Force powers from his mother, Raven felt almost like being persuaded through the Force. That _look_ in his warm, brown eyes, or his whole expression, she didn't know precisely what it was, but somehow she couldn't have denied his request even if she'd wanted. And she definitely didn't want to work on the data any more, so the Sith put the pads away and smiled a little wider.

"Do you have something in mind? Preferably something that doesn't get me another of Lana's lectures regarding 'jeopardizing the healing process of my lightsaber stab wound'?"

The first one had come after a heated discussion with some mercenaries, who had tried to scam some of her people within her earshot. After a physical demonstration of the fact that she, Raven, was both aware of the black market price of Prismatic Crystals, and didn't need the Force or her lightsaber to knock both Gamorreans to the ground, those smugglers had been very reasonable with their asking price.

"Well, nothing too strenuous, I think. I had just hoped you'd join us for the…"

Oh blast it. The house-warming party for their new base.

"I forgot! Stars, that analysis here made me lose track of time. On my way, on my way…"

* * *

Five minutes later, Raven stumbled into the base's main hall. Music was playing from the cantina's side of the room, and an astonishing number of bottles was lined up on most flat surfaces available. Quite a number of people were busy emptying those – the assassin noticed Tora and Len, who already talked louder than necessary while refilling their glasses, and her sister, who had joined Corporal Ralo in what seemed to be a private galactic whisky tasting tour. And perhaps also more than that.

Ignoring the giggling Barsen'thor for now, the young Sith made her way towards the back of the room. Lana and Koth had joined Theron at the main bar, and when the blonde Sith noticed the approaching former Dark Councillor, she flinched slightly.

"We've only just begun. I wasn't sure you'd attend…"

Raven scratched her head.

"Well, I do admit that I get side-tracked easily, but other than that? A chance to unwind after what we've been through is exactly what we need."

Koth lifted his glass.

"You are exactly correct. And now, with you here, even this guy is cheering up."

The young assassin supposed that Theron was trying for a dark glare, but it wasn't really working.

"I was reasonably cheery before. I joined in, remember?"

Half drawing, half being drawn into an embrace, Raven decided to forget her worries for this evening, unless Arcann in person started to knock on their doors.

* * *

About one hour later, the young assassin found herself in front of the buffet. Picking some items at random, she joined Koth at a table. The Zakuulan renegade seemed to be on a solemn mission to sample each and every dish available, and the Sith thought that it would be unethical to let an ally face such a battle alone.

"Enjoying the party?" she asked, and smiled when Koth nodded emphatically.

"Even tried the roast gorak!", he proclaimed. "And you know what, I didn't really like it, but this sauce… hmm, that zing… Here, wanna try a bite?"

Gorak, gorak… Raven was pretty sure that she'd heard that word before. Shrugging, she took a piece onto her fork, and took a healthy bite. And froze, as all her muscles refused to work, while her brain simply overloaded at the sheer impossibility of the resulting sensations. It wasn't only that the sauce was hot, as in 'high-temperature'. Feeling like lava on her tongue, but the lava of a particularly spicy chilli volcano, the substance floated through her whole mouth and set every nerve on fire. Sure that she was already seeing plumes of smoke arising from her nostrils, Raven grasped the first glass available, and sought refuge in its liquid content. Given that it was Koth's glass, and not her own, that idea wasn't such a good one, though. Jumping like being hit by a very angry rancor, the Sith spit the sample back, managed to choke out an apology, and ran towards the bathroom.

Some minutes later, when the galaxy had stopped rotating like crazy, her stomach was completely empty, and Raven was feeling like a human being again, she noticed that Lea had been occupying the facilities next to hers. The Jedi didn't seem to be one hundred percent steady on her feet, but grinned nonetheless.

"The trick is trying not to hit your robes, or armour. Rinse your mouth, and back you go! Repeat until the booze runs dry, the company becomes intolerable, or you are unable to find the way back to the bar. Then it's probably time to go home."

* * *

Joining Lana at a table, Raven was careful to keep her own glass within reach this time. Her stomach was complaining, but she didn't really dare to try out some of the other mystery food. Oblivious to the young Sith's troubles, Beniko looked… content.

"It's quite something, isn't it? So much more than the last alliance we formed."

So much more? The last alliance had at least succeeded in beating a dark incarnation of none other than Revan, the legendary Jedi-Sith-Jedi. Their current alliance had built a space port on a remote planet, and started to collect a number of frustrated soldiers from both former galactic superpowers. Plus defrosted a light-side Dark Councillor with a bad case of talking headache, which was indeed a point in its favour.

"What I suspected when we aligned with Theron, Satele and Darth Marr has borne out", Lana continued, and Raven had to concentrate once more to stop herself from wincing. The dead were beyond her help, but with her recent worries about the grandmaster's fate, it was strange to hear her name spoken so casually.

"I may have initiated events, but they would never have coalesced without you", the advisor finished her trail of thoughts, and Raven looked up.

"I should be dead inside a metal tomb right now", she argued, not willing to allow her friend to sell her own achievements short. "You were determined to break me out. As was Koth. As was Lea."

"No, that's not…"

The word 'destiny' hung over their heads, unspoken, yet clearly audible for both of them. Raven closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she felt the same determination and conviction that she'd felt when speaking to her new allies some days before.

" _We_ are the masters of our lives, not some nebulous concept of fate. Our decisions, our actions are what matters, and if we win, it is due to them, and _not_ thanks to a glorious destiny. And should we lose, then our own mistakes are to blame, or the superior skills or cleverness of our enemies. I suppose Heskal learned that the hard way, or not at all. But we will _not_ fail, if we all stand together. Theron, Koth, Senya, Lea, you… each of us is an important part of what we're trying to accomplish."

Yellow eyes glowed in the shadows.

"It is of no use to argue with you on that topic, I see", Lana answered. "Very well. So be it. And I'll continue to be at your side for as long as you'll have me, my friend."

* * *

Leaving Lana, who had started a discussion with Ashara about the latest lightsaber modifications, Raven looked around for her other friends. Andronikos was busy persuading Nico Okarr to try a career as a pirate, and HK-51 had simply shut down, but the sight of her old hunter-killer model reminded the young assassin that she'd somehow managed to forget her other faithful bodyguard droid. Lea had rescued HK-55's burned hull from Asylum, but nobody aboard the Gravestone had had the necessary skills to even think about an attempt at repairs. Right now, though, there were a number of cybertech experts around, and one of the most creative Hutt scientists in the galaxy was on her payroll. Spotting Dr. Oggurobb during a party was easy, and not only due to his size; the doctor had re-purposed quite a number of bottles, glasses, three tables, and what looked like a musical instrument, constructed a makeshift apparatus of some sort, and was now happily analysing samples of what Raven could only hope were simple food items from the buffet.

"Doctor? A moment of your time, if I may? There is this heavily-damaged droid in hangar bay 7, an HK unit of modern design, which has gotten hit by a Force attack. Severe physical impact plus complicated burns, right through the chassis. If you could do anything…"

If the scientist hadn't been a Hutt, he'd probably started to jump up and down in joy. Since such activity wasn't in his skill set, the doctor just clapped his hands and smiled a very wide Hutt grin.

"A challenge, you say? And burns… I did see that rare alloy in one of the other hangars just yesterday… Inspiration! Make way, make way. I must create!"

* * *

Hoping for the best, Raven turned, and almost stumbled into the Republic agent she'd meant to find.

"Theron, there you are! I've been looking for you several times, but to no avail – don't tell me that you snuck away to get more work done?"

Jackpot, at least if the agent's guilty expression was any indication.

"It was supposed to be nothing more than a short call, and you were busy talking to Lana, so I thought nobody would notice if I just took care of it, and then there was that thing I had to look up, and… I'm not making this any better, am I?"

The assassin rolled her eyes.

"Be glad that I have a weakness for hard-working agents in old jackets."

Warm lips brushed her cheek, and Raven felt the agent in question smile.

"I also saw the gorak incident and brought you some less risky food from the kitchen. Does that count as an apology?"

"You're a lifesaver", the young Sith murmured, mouth already full.

"Thought so. Besides, I can't have you faint from hunger on the dance floor, after all."

Good thing that Theron was here… Wait. _Dance floor_?

"Mmpfhm-no! No no no! No way! I can't dance!"

The look in Theron's eyes was now positively evil.

"Come on. I know for sure that you're a fast learner."

"Three hells I am not! I'll probably break all your toes! Well, actually, you'd deserve it…"

Too late for further protests. Somehow, Raven found herself arm in arm with the most conniving human this side of Wild Space, and in between a whole bunch of innocent beings of different species, who actually appeared to _enjoy_ this very special form of torture.

"Beware the vengeance of the Sith", the young assassin grumbled, and sent out a cry for help through the Force. Earning not more than a mental grin from Lana and a set of way too explicit suggestions that were more fit for a private bedroom from her intoxicated sister, Raven was very relieved when she got the outlines for some basic steps from Ashara. Darth Revan might have been able to rip the knowledge of a whole language from someone's brain, but simply sharing a little information here and there in emergency situations had its perks, too.

"See? I knew you could do it."

Oh blast it all.

"Ha ha. Not funny. I'm just taking pity on the people next to me, you know? Besides, care to tell me what brought this up? I wouldn't have pictured you to be a passionate hobby dancer, to be honest."

Either it was the light, or Theron was blushing slightly.

"Well, yes, no… See, I talked to Jonas… er…"

"Jonas _Balkar_?"

Raven glared at her partner, whose blush became more noticeable by the second.

"Um, yeah. Balkar. Why?"

"From what you've told me about Balkar, he'd be the one to ask if you really wanted hints on how to seduce somebody into your bedroom!"

The scientific parts of Raven's brain were busy making notes on an unprecedented hue of glowing scarlet on a male human face. The rest of her cognitive power miscalculated one of the steps in Ashara's dancing routine memories, and her foot landed directly onto Theron's left big toe.

* * *

Using the misstep as a welcome excuse to leave the dance floor, Raven all but dragged the flustered agent towards a more secluded table on the side, and fixated him with her eyes.

"Look, Raven, I didn't mean to upset you, really…"

First things first.

"How much did you drink, and what?" the inquisitor asked, in her best interrogation voice.

"I really didn't… uh, one nerf milk, with honey, to calm the nerves, nothing more… see, when I contacted Balkar, I didn't mean to…"

Survival guide for Dark Lords: If the situation is completely out of control, and you have no idea what you are doing, then try for logic, speak calmly, and keep your lightsaber ready.

"Why didn't you just ask?" the Sith interrupted, and stopped herself from reaching for her weapon.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't want to upset you… wait, what did you just say?"

Survival guide for people with nosy siblings: If in doubt, opt for privacy. Raven grasped the former SIS agent's hand, and phased through the next wall, and then another, until they stood in the quiet night outside. The fresh air seemed to do wonders for Theron's morale; at least he stopped babbling.

"On a scale from one to ten, how angry are you, Raven?"

Scratching her head, the young Sith carefully observed his expression.

"Depends on whether or not you try to apologize again", she answered, and sighed. "Look, before this gets any more awkward, let's be frank. First, I do like you. A lot. Second, I don't have the slightest clue about any… _Balkar business_. And third, your presence does funny things to my innards. So, if you were serious a minute ago, and just didn't know how to ask, it might help you to know that I'd be inclined to agree to some… _business things_. If you were not serious, and this has all been a terrible misunderstanding, then I suggest we hurry back inside and start emptying any and all bottles we can find, while hoping that the memories of tonight will blur into a giant hangover."

Funny. She'd been quite certain that she'd implode during her little speech, but somehow, she was still standing. And so was Theron. He was still blushing, but looking a little healthier again. And thoughtful.

"How much did _you_ drink, my dear?"

Frowning slightly, Raven tried to remember.

"Well, one sip of Koth's hell-and-high-water nightmare drink, but that doesn't count, since I spit it back into his glass, and, well, possible remnants likely didn't survive my bathroom break afterwards. The rest was nothing but tea, water, and the occasional fruit juice. Why?"

There was even the shadow of a smile on the agent's face, as he cleared his throat.

"Just checking."

Had her companion stood that close to her a second ago? Raven blinked, and felt a soft, careful touch on her cheek.

"I'm not really feeling like hurrying back inside, and emptying all bottles sounds quite unhealthy", he whispered. "What was the alternative again?"

Survival guides…

"Well, no matter what we do, standing here while it gets colder and colder is unhealthy, too", Raven countered. "I do happen to own that nice starship over there, though, which does have a functional heating system. And possibly some other equipment that might be useful, depending on what it was that you wanted to ask me. If you wanted to ask me something, that is."

It was the first time ever that the assassin had seen the eyes of somebody without Force powers virtually burn in the darkness.

"Just so you know, I was stupid", Theron commented, with the calm of a man who'd just survived an encounter with a rancor, while armed only with a pocket knife. "All that mortifying... _advice_... from Jonas… I should have known that you are the most unique being in this whole galaxy."


	20. The Price of Power

_Fury, Space en route to Hoth, 5 BEA_

Calculating once and then again, Raven hoped that the numbers would change, but arithmetics didn't do her the favour to suddenly turn its axioms upside-down. Apparently, going on a ghost hunt without a wealthy master in the background wasn't very helpful for her budget, and while she could always use her Lord-of-the-Sith authority to get free resources on any Imperial base, she'd sworn to avoid that ever since the fiasco with Elias Maliss. The blasted traitor hadn't been able to seriously harm her, but the danger was now obvious. It was far too easy for anybody on Thanaton's payroll to simply poison some of the food rations with any experimental substance her scanners couldn't identify, or to manipulate something in the star ship's fuel. And buying the same stuff from free traders or neutral colonies was expensive. With most of her savings spent on better security for her cult back on Nar Shaddaa, the young assassin's account was getting less fun to look at with each passing week. On Taris, luck had been on her side; the Sith had been able to acquire some interesting missions from Imperial Command, which had paid reasonably well, and which had been safe, on a relative scale – she'd been able to trace their origins back to some other sphere's higher-ups, who were unlikely to be allies of Thanaton. But Quesh, that toxic rock in the middle of Hutt Space, lacked charm as well as well-paid opportunities to serve the Empire, and according to the Imperial Bounty Board, her next target, Hoth, wasn't looking much better. Perhaps Andronikos could slice into some pirate accounts when she'd cleared out some of their respective bases, but other than that, she'd probably have to stick to selling hunting trophies. Raven wholeheartedly hoped that somewhere out there was a good market for ice cat pelts. Preferably at some place that she could reach without wasting too much fuel.

Her holocom beeped, and the young Sith prayed to no-one in particular that it wouldn't herald another catastrophe. But for once, she was in luck. Kaal's face appeared, looking serious as always, but not terribly worried.

"My lord, it's Kaal."

Well, at least he had stopped to constantly explain to her that he was, in fact, her apprentice. Raven called that a win.

"Corrin and I continue to monitor the Sith trials on Korriban from the shadows, as you requested. No sign of Thanaton, or any of his followers; hiding in plain sight seems to work for now."

Nodding, Raven made a note on her datapad.

"Don't take any risks", she reminded her apprentice. "If things get hot, get the hells out of there. I do not want any acolyte to die on my behalf, but I'd rather bury them all by myself than mourning you two for real. Understood?"

The camera switched, and showed Corrin. The girl had changed since Quesh; near-death experiences might do that to a person. There was a new determination in her posture, in her glance, a new strength that Raven couldn't really explain. She was glad about it, though; skills that helped her apprentices survive were most appreciated, especially with the danger she'd put both of them into. And all of it due to the stupid game of the Sith, which dictated that anybody not trying to increase their power base on a regular basis was weak and a target for others. Trying to fight her sudden headache, Raven remembered the conversation with Ashara, who had told her that Zash strongly advised her to apply for a new apprentice from Korriban. The assassin had flat-out refused to even speak to her former master after she'd taken over Khem's body, and usually just mind-mazed the Shadow Killer once he started to speak in Basic, but the young Togruta continued to listen to the old Sith. And Raven had had to admit, albeit grudgingly, that her advise had been sound. The last thing that she needed were ambitious Sith Lords or regular Sith from other spheres, who'd try to steal what little resources she had from under her nose, while introducing their respective lightsabers to her own ribs. So she'd invested some more fuel to go to Korriban, and talked to Harkun. It had been a risk, but one that had paid off – her old overseer had claimed to be neutral regarding her conflict with Darth Thanaton, and the assassin hadn't sensed any deceit. She'd promptly got a group of acolytes of her own, who were now tested according to Sith tradition. Unfortunately, that translated as 'thrown against impossible odds until just one of them survived', and the former slave couldn't just tolerate that.

"Understood, master", the girl answered calmly. "I followed the Gran into the wastes, and saved him when he got cornered by a pack of tuk'ata. He got the same offer as the human before him: abandon the Sith, and go to Vaiken Space Dock with our help to start a new life, or continue with his Sith trials, albeit without a safety net. He was cleverer as the first acolyte, though, and took the chance I offered. We got him to the shuttles, and off Korriban without any problems. Should have enough credits to reach Nar Shaddaa, from where he can go into hiding wherever he wants."

Nodding again, Raven breathed deeply, and massaged her forehead – her headache was getting worse. The human slave acolyte had either severely overestimated his own skills, or misinterpreted Kaal's and Corrin's help as a trick; anyway, he'd refused to go, and was now forming some stains of dirt on a rather elaborate trap in one of the ancient Sith tombs. The young Sith hadn't relished the news, but in her opinion, everybody had the right to waste a second chance. The problem was that most slaves on Korriban didn't even get a first one.

"So it's the Twi'lek or the Kaleesh now", she murmured, and remembered sensing much hatred and anger in both of them. The Gran had been slightly different; perhaps that was why he'd still been able to trust a helping hand, or at least to guess his odds of survival correctly.

"Yes, my lord", Corrin answered. "We'll let you know if anything changes. Both remaining acolytes appear to be capable, though. Each of them might be able to reclaim quite some artefacts from the tombs, as you requested."

Well... good. Anything that could help the young Sith Lord in her fight against Thanaton would be very welcome. Smiling, Raven thanked her apprentices for their work, and then continued to go through the data that was at her disposal. She'd probably have to visit Korriban again in the near future, but even the old Sith necropolis world didn't offer appealing bounties or other chances to help her finances right now.

Still, as tedious and problematic as her current situation was, Raven knew that it wouldn't last forever. Her fight with Thanaton would be over soon, either because she found enough ghosts to beat him, or because the elder Sith Lord got her first. If she was wrong, though, she might indeed have to rethink the pirate business. At least her new orobird had become truly docile – it hadn't tried to devour the young assassin yet, nor had it made any attempt to pick her ship apart. Ashara positively doted on the beast, and insisted on giving the giant bird a name; she hadn't been very pleased by Raven's suggestion to simply call it 'demon'. But for now, the inquisitor had bigger problems than a colourful would-be speeder parrot stand-in with a giant appetite. Andronikos had procured some interesting ghost rumours about the ice world that they were approaching, and if she could track the apparition down and bind it, she might indeed have enough power available to finally stand up to her personal red-eyed wrinkle-skinned nemesis. That chance alone warranted risking some frostbite.

* * *

 _Fury, Hoth Orbital Station, 5 BEA_

"Khem? Guard the ship. If there's an attack, feel free to devour any culprits. Andronikos, we're still in dire need of information, both on Thanaton and his plans, possible allies of Thanaton, possible enemies of him that could become our allies, or general business opportunities. Could you please see what you can do with the Imperial data streams? 2V, your job is offering support where needed on the ship, and to monitor sensor logs. Make sure that there are no surprises, all right? Especially no unpleasant ones. Ashara, I'd like you to come with me to continue your training, and help me with any problems we might encounter. Besides, we're the only Force users on board, which means that the two of us will have the easiest time warding off the cold, or finding our way through a snow storm when communications and sensors are down. That okay with everybody? Perfect. Then let's hunt a ghost."

Raven knew very well that her Dashade was resistant to the cold, but Khem couldn't orient himself with the Force, and something told her that he might not be the best companion for any diplomatic routes she might want to try at the Imperial base. Simply walking into the snow was either a waste of resources, or suicide, even for her, so local help was a must, and people tended to react more friendly if they saw a young Togruta instead of a nightmare monster with glowing eyes. Unless the people in question were average Sith, of course, but in that case, her Shadow Killer was just a comm call away.

"Just be careful", Andronikos muttered. "The place is crawling with pirates, and not all of them are as nice as me."

* * *

 _Hoth, Icefall Plains, 5 BEA_

Breathing hard in the cold air after another fight against the local wildlife, Raven sat down unceremoniously on the only thing within reach that wasn't covered in snow or ice. This happened to be the latest giant snow cat which had tried to eat raw Sith with a side of Jedi for lunch, but that didn't concern the young assassin; grateful for the short respite, she rummaged through her pockets and bit into one of her ration bars. Running through the hostile environment had purged her reserves of optimism pretty quickly. Even if they found the ghost they were looking for, there was still a powerful Sith Lord with decades of experience in her way, who might only scoff at her efforts to resist his skills and rituals. Perhaps it would really be best to just take the Fury and disappear somewhere in the endless void above them, to abandon all dreams of changing the universe for the better...

Ashara hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and sat down next to the Sith Lord. And, as if on cue, Hoth's sun emerged from behind a layer of dark clouds, and made the icy desert around them sparkle and twinkle like it was covered in a myriad of diamonds. Even the cold, brutal wind that howled through the planet's valleys stopped for a while. Looking around in wonder, Raven smiled at the unexpected beauty of the landscape around her.

"You know, I used to love snow", Ashara mused. "When we first left the base, I wanted nothing more than to turn around and stay within the warmth. But this... this is lovely, actually."

"Yes, it is... I'm telling you, when this is over, and we've beaten Thanaton, we're all going to take a nice vacation. War be damned, we've earned it. Or perhaps we can link work and leisure, for a change." Thinking, Raven absent-mindedly formed a snowball with the Force. "Like, for example, a diplomatic mission to Alderaan, combined with skiing in the Juran Mountains. Or perhaps we could cooperate with the Sphere of Logistics and help with the kolto negotiations on Manaan. Great place for swimming and diving, and the hotels around the mercantile plaza of old Ahto City are still supposed to be among the best of the galaxy."

Ashara made another snowball, and formed both of their white spheres to a rudimentary snowman.

"There was no such thing as a vacation among the Jedi", she commented, and Raven noticed a certain bitterness in her apprentice's voice. "Days that were not spent with training or missions were usually dedicated to meditation and study. We didn't even play games... Everything was always so serious. For the greater good, of course."

Sighing, Raven added snowy arms to the figure they were building.

"Well, yeah. But you usually didn't have to sleep with your training saber under your pillow, or test your food for poison. The only games Sith on Korriban seem to know are 'betrayal', and 'kill-the-weakest'. Our code emphasizes freedom as the ultimate goal, but most of its followers restrict themselves to a very, very limited part: lying, killing, torturing."

The young assassin had to concentrate to stop herself from erupting into Force lightning in frustration – she didn't want to electrify their snow sculpture, or worry the young Togruta next to her. But her apprentice only tilted her head thoughtfully.

"No civilization is perfect, and no Force user order, either. But some are certainly worse than others. Still, what you've shown me... that's better. I have peace like the Jedi speak of, and freedom like the Sith. So, thank you, my lord."

Despite a sudden bout of emotion, Raven felt the need to chuckle slightly.

"Running from one wampa fight to another is a strange definition of 'peace'", she remarked, "and 'freedom' is relative when you use it exclusively to follow a crazy Sith who's fighting for her life."

A snowball hit her, and the inquisitor landed in the white, glittering mass before her. Cursing, spitting, and coughing, she turned her head, only to look directly into the grinning face of the former Jedi Padawan.

"I was talking of peace of mind, as you well know, and I'm not following a crazy Sith, but helping a friend in need", Ashara countered, and stretched out her hand to help her up again. With a grin of her own, Raven took it, but pulled more heavily than necessary. A second later, both Force users were rolling through the snow, chuckling and trying to push the other deeper into the white splendour around them.

But despite the cold water that was starting to drip under the collar of her robes, the young Sith felt a certain warmth rise within her. The sun was still bathing the icy plains of Hoth in bright, gleaming light, and suddenly her mission didn't appear to be that impossible any more.

* * *

 _Hoth, Imperial Outpost, 5 BEA_

What a day. Wondering whether Jedi usually had to handle as many weird situations to achieve their goals, Raven parked her snow speeder in the hangar of the Imperial outpost, and called upon the Force to heal herself, as her whole skin started to prickle. She'd tried to protect herself against the biting cold, but some of it had gotten through. Now, within the relative warmth of the base, her nerves reminded her that minus forty degrees centigrade were not beneficial to the health of the average human being.

Scanning for evidence of a ship that had crash-landed in the white wastes had been straight-forward enough, but playing diplomat with a pack of bloodthirsty Ortolans of all beings wasn't what the assassin had expected, and the personal appearance of the Sith ghost she was seeking had beaten it all. And now this ancient spirit wanted her to destroy the remnants of a sanctuary temple that had belonged to his former enemies and murderers.

Reporting back to Lieutenant Talos Drellik, her local contact, Raven wasn't that surprised when the archaeologist nearly exploded from excitement. When the assassin had met the Imperial Reclamation Service officer for the first time, she'd been absolutely sure that he would try to trick her somehow, to stab her into the back and laugh, while calling Thanaton to have him observe her last breaths. Nobody could possibly be that friendly, full of innocent curiosity, and enthusiastically helpful. But after a thorough background check from Andronikos, and after personally observing him and his behaviour for some time, the inquisitor had come to the conclusion that Talos was, in fact, genuine in his intentions. Dedicated to protecting history against the onslaught of oblivion, the scientist had kept an almost child-like sense of wonder. If somebody like him could grow and thrive in the Imperial military, perhaps there was indeed hope for the Empire.

"Your ghost said he was a follower of Ludo Kressh, and that Naga Sadow's assassins killed him", Drellik summarized. "Sith, do you realize what you've done?"

He was a very special kind of cute when he got excited. Not quite her type, even though Raven had problems defining what her 'type' actually was, if she was honest, but definitely cute. Perhaps 'little brother cute', or something.

"We're talking about the fabled Sadow'een. Naga Sadow's personal order of assassins – myth made real!"

The lieutenant had jumped up and was now digging through a set of data pads, while gesticulating wildly.

"Don't worry, I'll get you inside! I've been circumventing the security of ancient tombs since I was old enough to hold a data spike and a pair of pliers..."

"A data spike, and _pliers_?"

Raven couldn't help herself. Trying valiantly to fight the pictures of baby Talos in a Sith mausoleum with a dummy in his mouth and an ancient carving in his little hands, she exchanged a look with Ashara.

 _Is he for real, my lord?_

 _Seems that way. Though I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it._

"Oh, don't worry", the archaeologist answered, completely oblivious to their exchange through the Force. "I have far better equipment at my disposal now. It will open tomb doors, and make tea while you wait! Unfortunately, some of it is still at the main base, and needs preparation before it can be used. Let's see... yes, that should work. Two days, my lord, and I can gather all the equipment that I need to help you get into the assassin temple."

Two full days. A chance to return to the Fury, and to warm herself up for more than just ten minutes, while going through the information that Andronikos had found? Raven could have hugged Talos for that opportunity. Her mind would have insisted to go on, but her body yearned for a rest, and now she had the perfect excuse to do so.

* * *

The assassin had just sat down in the shuttle towards Hoth's orbital station, when her holocom beeped again.

"Moira. Is it safe to talk?"

An encryption algorithm made it impossible to identify the caller, but nobody in the whole universe but her crazy sister would call Raven by her given name. Activating a routine on her datapad, the inquisitor deactivated the shuttle's internal security, and hoped that Lea's message didn't mean that there was one of the Corellian Hells at their door.

"Connection secure. What is it, Lea, and where are you?"

Golden eyes appeared instead of static, and Raven was relieved to see that the Jedi looked rather sheepish, not terrified or terribly worried.

"Um, I'm on Hoth, actually, and I was wondering whether you could help me out with a bit of information."

" _Hoth_? That can't just be a coincidence."

The inquisitor believed in chance, not destiny, but if a coincidence was very unlikely, she usually suspected deliberateness. And she was usually right about it.

Lea rolled her eyes.

"Of course not. I'm running some missions for a bunch of diplomats on my ship to save the Republic, as usual, and one lady here has given me about fifty tasks spread evenly through the known universe to pick from. I chose Hoth and pirate hunting, not for the scenery or climate, but because I had learned that you were heading there, too, and I hoped for a chance to talk to you some more. Well, that, and the mission sounded pretty easy."

Raven closed her eyes, as her headache returned tenfold.

"Let me guess. It wasn't as easy as you'd hoped."

"Nope. Do you know if the Empire has immortal pirates on its payroll?"

Swallowing her incredulous chuckle, Raven looked to Ashara, but the Togruta also stared at the holo image as if she suspected Lea to be drunk. It seemed that she hadn't just imagined the question.

"The only being that usually claims to be immortal is the Sith Emperor", the young Sith answered, "and despite the fact that he has been silent for decades, I'd doubt he has taken up piracy. Should be easy to check, though: Did the pirate in question possess a giant mass of dark Force power, attacked with a red or violet lightsaber, shot Force lightning from his fingers, or made any attempt to annihilate everything within five miles around him while fighting?"

"Don't think so, no, certainly not, definitely no, and it's not funny. I ran into that pirate boss that had my contacts terrified, cut him down with my lightsaber, reported back, and had to eat my words when the bastard called to mock me. And before you ask: I wasn't drunk at that time, and I checked his pulse after hitting him. None. And it wasn't a clone, either – same damned aura. You can't just clone that."

Scratching her head, Raven tried to imagine that scene.

"Are we talking about a body hit, or a beheading?" she asked. "Any chance that some weird regeneration mod or kolto backup could have restored him?"

"Head was still attached to his neck", Lea admitted. "I suppose it's possible, yeah. But that has to be some blasted advanced tech..."

Out of the corners of her eyes, Raven saw Adamas Space Station draw near.

"Look, Lea, I've got to cut communications soon. But I'm on my way to the Fury to check data, anyway. If I find something in the Imperial archives, or if Andronikos knows any rumours, I'll let you know. Besides, don't they say that third time's the charm? If he comes back after your next try, I'll join you for attempt number three. You point, I punch."

Lea looked as if she wanted to hug the camera.

"You are the best, sis!"

"Well, I'm your _only_ sister", Raven deadpanned. "Hopefully. Otherwise the galaxy might not survive the carnage three of us could create. Take care, Lea."

As the young Sith readied herself for departure, she noticed that the Togruta Jedi hesitated.

"Something wrong, Ashara?"

Raven blamed her headache and her cold fingers for her shortness, but her apprentice didn't seem to mind.

"Unfortunately so, my lord. I'm freezing, despite the climate control's insistence that it's twenty degrees Standard, and my head is killing me. The actual problem, though, is this: There is a Terminus-class destroyer docked with Hoth's orbital station, which has universal black-level Imperial security clearance, a red-flagged 'do not approach unauthorized' warning in the Imperial traffic notifications, more custom modifications than I can count with this shuttle's sensor equipment, doubled power-grid read-outs in comparison to a usual ship of its class, and even more armaments. Whoever is in command of this thing has the authorisation to shoot us out of the sky without a second thought, and more than enough firepower to do so."

* * *

 _Hoth Orbital Station, 5 BEA_

The first thing Raven noticed after the shuttle's doors had opened was a flash of red and black. Rugs, tapestries, and at least two holo flags, all of them adorned with the Imperial Symbol, competed with regular Imperial banners for each square inch of flat space available. The resulting visual onslaught was magnificent in its own right, but it was definitely not helping the inquisitor's headache. Somebody must have taken up decorating space stations as a new hobby during her absence – pity that this somebody didn't have one iota of taste in his or her body.

The second thing was the fact that two Imperial troopers stood between her and the rest of the station. Raven didn't have to use the Force to see that both of them were wishing to be somewhere else; trying to block her path but appearing everything but threatening at the same time, each soldier was attempting to look at her and over their shoulders simultaneously.

"Apologies, my lord, but there was a time schedule mistake", the first one explained, and Raven had to concentrate to understand the words because he was speaking so quietly. "Your shuttle shouldn't have left Hoth for at least another hour. If you would be so kind to return to the spacecraft and wait, until the situation is resolved…"

"Do you take me for a fool?"

The Imperial trooper had nearly whispered because he hadn't wanted to draw attention to himself, the inquisitor guessed, but the current speaker wasn't plagued by such issues. Each syllable rang through the deadly silent station with the dark echoes of a falling coffin lid, and the young Sith didn't need to turn her head to know that Ashara had retreated into the shuttle. The two soldiers before her were now shaking visibly. Still, Raven suddenly felt like laughing in relief. She wouldn't even have needed to see the distinct red and black armoured silhouette standing in the centre of Adamas station's main hall to know that of all the beings in the universe, this Sith Lord was one of the most unlikely to be here on Darth Thanaton's orders.

"Ac'siel Blue is one of the rarest and deadliest poisons in the known galaxy", Darth Marr stated in an eerily calm voice. "Nearly impossible to detect by common sensors, it can not be synthesized and is only produced by a rare strand of Csillan bacteria under specific conditions. The Chiss keep it under strict control, and its original name in Cheunh means 'ensured death' for a reason. No known antidote exists, and bounty hunters have committed atrocities to acquire a single dose. Therefore I do not believe in an 'accidental contamination of provisions', Ensign. Special Attaché Tazith, have the station's personnel brought in for questioning. Then see to it that the plan is carried out."

A small man in the uniform of the Ministry of War saluted and gesticulated hectically. Seconds later, more Imperial troops surrounded the unfortunate space station crew, and three scientists in hazard gear started to bring in advanced disaster clean-up equipment.

Believing that the worst was over, the inquisitor pondered retreating to the shuttle herself, but stopped in her tracks as she felt what she could only describe as wave of concentrated black ice close around her in the Force.

"Lord Kallig."

Well, there was a bright side to the situation, Raven thought, as her feet moved automatically towards the menacing figure. She was neither lost in an uncontrollable Force storm, nor had she just made an antique wood bench explode into dust. The assassin therefore hoped that this encounter would be a little less dangerous, and hopefully way less awkward. Still, despite her relative relief and hopes, her legs felt suspiciously like jelly. It also didn't help that the whole station remained deadly quiet, that the only sound was made by her own feet on the ground, and that everybody around was staring alternately at her, and the red-armoured Sith before her.

"Dark Lord."

If in doubt, take the most formal greeting available, and don't try small talk unless invited to – Raven had learned these lessons on Korriban. Asking Marr if he liked the station's food, or whether he preferred Dejarik or Pazaak to pass the time during hyperspace jumps would have been beyond ridiculous. And very likely unhealthy. Raven tried to breathe as deeply as possible without attracting attention, and readied herself to kneel, but met ice.

"Don't waste time on formalities, Kallig, my time is short."

Still trying not to stumble from her half-kneeling-half-iceberg-hitting experience, the young inquisitor fought the sudden urge to cover her ears. It wasn't that the Darth was speaking especially loudly, but in the complete silence of the station, the contrast in volume was just too large to be comfortable.

Comfort. Yeah. In front of a Darth. Funny thought.

"The Republic stands united and grows stronger, while the Empire wastes resources on infighting and redecorating stations", Darth Marr continued, still quite calmly, but Raven didn't think that she'd just imagined the slightest hint of a growl. Some of the Imperial troopers had caught on as well; moving very slowly and with demonstrative harmlessness, they started to remove the additional flags on the sidelines.

"Even pirates have started to challenge us as of late. This can not be allowed to continue."

"Pirates?"

Oops. Another of those Korribani rules: Don't interrupt superiors, unless you fancy an aching throat.

"Pirates. Apparently, soldiers here preferred poisoning rations to protecting the Empire."

Glad that the lord had ignored her outburst, but starting to worry that she might get frostbite due to the sudden decrease in temperature on the whole station, Raven folded her arms for warmth and hoped that it might make her appear more self-assured than she felt.

"You will take care of Hoth's most urgent problems", Marr stated, as if it was a fact, and by doing so, it more or less _became_ one. For a moment, the young assassin envied the power to make one's own self-fulfilling prophecies. "Perhaps then we can salvage anything from this fiasco of an operation."

Bowing deeply, Raven suspected that anything but compliance would have disastrous consequences for her well-being. Her datapad pinged, signalling that she'd received the data in question, but the assassin didn't even look – she'd have to try to accomplish those missions anyway, unless she wanted to oppose not only one, but two of the most powerful Darths of the Empire.

"As you wish, my lord", she answered, but did her best to control her voice and appear confident. Yet another of Korriban's rules said that it was unwise to show weakness, no matter if towards superiors or followers, enemies or allies, and Lord Kallig wasn't feeling lucky enough to break those rules.

Remaining firmly where she stood for fear of stumbling, Raven watched mutely as Marr turned to leave. Or perhaps he just shifted the whole universe while he alone remained in place, her subconsciousness commented sarcastically; the old Sith always appeared so trice-damned self-confident that the assassin seriously considered that likelihood for a moment. Probably another hint that her brain was still swimming in adrenaline.

After some steps, though, the armoured figure hesitated for a moment, while tilting its head slightly as if in consideration.

"And Kallig? You might want to stop scorching the floor. This station has enough problems on its own."

* * *

"Why did nobody tell me that I was glowing like one of Kaas City's lightning spires after a direct hit by a whole thunderstorm?!"

Coughing slightly, Ashara somehow managed to roll her eyes and look amused and slightly condescending at the same moment.

"My lord, everybody was busy holding their breaths and just hoping to survive the whole situation. One annoyed Darth and one charged Sith Lord, that's a combination your average Imperial trooper simply doesn't want to handle. Well, and I was hiding under the shuttle's seats and didn't even see it."

"You… well, you have a point." Enjoying the relative warmth of the Fury after Hoth's ice and the recent brush of Dark Force energy that had been even colder, Raven felt her mood improve with each passing second. Finally risking a glance at her datapad, the young Sith checked the missions that Marr had mentioned.

Hunting a renegade Sith Lord who had gathered some apprentices in a random ice hole in the wastes… shouldn't be a problem with adequate preparation. Acquiring Republic data from a crashed ship was trivial for her, no matter the number of whitefangs around. Blasting her way through a group of pirates was no more dangerous than her usual work, and even freeing some prisoners from yet another pirate group's grasp didn't sound overly risky from the inquisitor's point of view.

And when Raven checked out the payment of the missions, while hoping that there was indeed any besides being allowed to live, she nearly ran into the next wall.

"Monster, pirate, Jedi, droid? I think we can start eating properly again, and also afford the good motor oil. The bounties on those objects, heads or whatever will carry us through the next year without a problem. Just one more thing: For future reference, when I say 'make sure that there are no surprises', that includes warning me when one of the Empire's most powerful individuals comes over for a little chat. And Andronikos? I don't care how, but get us better sensors. Now, if there is no other impending catastrophe, I'll try to catch some shut-eye."

* * *

 _Hoth, Ancient Temple Catacombs, 5 BEA_

When Raven had first met Talos Drellik, she'd been confident that he was another of Thanaton's men, sent to Hoth to distract her with his obvious harmlessness, deceive her, and stab her into her back. A thorough background check and his, well, honest aura had then convinced her otherwise, so she'd taken a risk and had gone into the Sadow'een temple with Lieutenant Drellik as her sole backup. This had partly been done out of sheer necessity, since she'd needed Ashara to work with Khem to help the latter track down a vision of Tulak Hord, and Andronikos' time was better spent researching the pirate and Imperial data streams for information on her enemies, Lea's little immortal pirate problem, and Thanaton's plans. Being hit by an arch of lightning from one of the better traps in the tomb had therefore felt twice as painful, because in addition to the physical pain, the assassin had felt the cold stab of betrayal before losing consciousness.

Now, as she was sitting on a piece of old stonework, still alive, and trying not to squirm too much while Talos treated her numerous burns with kolto, all the while berating her to be more careful in the future as she was one of the best hopes for the Empire, Raven felt ashamed that she'd ever doubted him.

True to his word, the archaeologist managed to get them through every obstacle they encountered, and between the inquisitor's lightsaber and his blaster, none of the guardian droids posed a problem. When they reached the inner sanctum, Talos was positively beaming.

"Oh, I'm so excited!", he exclaimed, and Raven had no problems believing him. "Every time I open a new tomb… like watching a flower blossom. So many wonders!"

Talking to himself, the Imperial lieutenant rushed forwards, and the young Sith had to hurry to keep up while watching for possible enemies.

"This is where Naga Sadow's assassins came to die, when their bloody work was done…" Talos whispered, and melancholy coloured his words. As Raven closed her eyes for a second and allowed herself to simply feel the touch of the centuries, she felt a similar pang of regret.

"So much history. It almost seems wrong to destroy it", she admitted, and sighed inwardly. Unfortunately, she didn't really have a choice, but the inquisitor allowed Talos some time to take a thorough holo recording of the whole place. Still, it hurt her more than she'd have thought when she saw the lieutenant cover his eyes whenever she approached one of the irreplaceable relics. Finally, when only the giant relic in the centre of the catacombs and one single, albeit especially well-preserved smaller artefact were left, and Talos seemed to be on the brink of tears, Raven had enough.

"Lieutenant Drellik, I need ten credits from you."

Whatever Talos had expected, it wasn't this. Surprise managed to cut through his sorrow, and the young Sith stared directly into his red-eyed face.

"My lord?"

Shrugging, the inquisitor nodded towards the shards and fragments around them.

"The ghost made me promise to get creative while enacting its vengeance. I therefore burned one relic with the help of a thermal detonator, scorched another with Force lightning, dissected the third with my lightsaber, shredded the forth with my bare fingers, borrowed your blaster to dispose of the fifth, threw the remains of one of the ancient droids against the sixth until it cracked, made parts of the ceiling come down to crash the seventh, and got lucky that the last of the guardian droids fatally hit the eighth because I was running out of ideas. Now I'm going to confiscate the main relic for the Imperial Museum in Kaas City, and sell the last relic on the black market to avoid repeating myself. I therefore ask you again for ten credits."

Lord Kallig was used to incredulous looks from people around her, but there was suddenly a light in Talos' eyes she hadn't seen there before.

"You have to be kidding, my lord… or not?" Disbelief turned to a smile in record time. "Of course, my lord!"

"Good." Raven nodded, and pressed some buttons on her datapad. "There, and for borrowing your blaster back then, here's ten credits for possible wear and tear. That should make us even. Now, would you help me prepare this museum piece and this contraband here for transport?"

Sensing movement behind her, the assassin threw up another Force barrier and spun around, while activating her lightsaber. One could never be too careful in places like these. But it was only one of the guardian droids, glowing with the Force aura of the Sith spirit that she was seeking. Despite its metal head without any mimic, it somehow managed to look disgruntled.

"We had a deal, Sith. Did you forget this?"

Glowering back at the ghost-machine-mix, Raven tried to copy both Darth Marr's posture and calm-yet-threatening tone, including the traces of graveyard winds and death bells. If Talos' jump backwards and the ghost's twitching were any indication, it worked way better than she'd expected. Deciding not to worry about that particular issue for now, the assassin concentrated on the ghost.

"The temple lies desecrated, and our deal is fulfilled", she claimed, and squinted her eyes, while wishing that she'd brought a mask with her, too. "Or do you intent to challenge me?"

The words hang in the cold air for a second, until the Sith-controlled droid bowed its head piece slightly.

"No. Thank you, Sith, for your help."

A short conversation later, Raven was in possession of the coordinates she needed, and the droid remnants were lying motionlessly on the floor again. With the help of Talos and the Force, she succeeded in carrying both artefacts out of the temple, and called the rest of the archaeologist's unit to transport the relics to safety. She then escorted the tired lieutenant to the next Imperial base, managed to stay awake long enough to wait for Ashara, and closed her eyes as soon as they had prepared their thermal tents in a wampa-free ice cave somewhere out in the snow, guarded by a sensor distortion unit. It had been a long day.

* * *

 _Hoth, Wastes, 5 BEA_

"So, you're telling me that the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order can't finish a Force-less pirate wearing a funny little tech upgrade in his ugly armour?"

Raven grinned into her holocom, while her sister made a face. Several faces. In fact, Lea seemed intent to demonstrate the whole range of human mimics in a single sequence.

"Tried it. Hit him, hurt him, had him on the ground, but before I could behead him to be sure, he fell into a crag in the ice. And two hours later he called me again, bruised, but very much alive, and still as annoying as ever."

"Yeah, I can imagine. As I just told you, it's nothing but advanced healing tech, highly concentrated kolto units, and nothing more. Overloading that thing by inflicting critical damage repeatedly in a short time frame should do the trick."

Scratching her head, Raven checked a map of Hoth.

"Is there any way you could lure that guy to the Star of Coruscant wreck? I'm on my way to discuss an alliance with a Force ghost over there, so if you need assistance…"

"Wonderful. Now I don't know whether I shall be grateful for your help, or annoyed at your assumption that I'll need it", the golden-haired Jedi grumbled, and looked as if her sister had suggested dancing lessons with the current Sith Emperor.

After saying goodbye to her unlikely ally, the young Sith called Ashara again. By now her whole crew minus her droid was on Hoth, since the assassin didn't believe that anybody would try to steal her ship while an elite unit of the Sphere of Imperial Defence had Adamas Orbital under lockdown. Raven had made use of this by hunting the renegade Sith Lord on Darth Marr's bounty list with Khem. The Dashade had been severely weakened by a trap from Zash, but feeding on their dying enemies' Force energy had restored some of his strength. Not wanting to exhaust his power, the young Sith had then fought through a pirate-claimed base with Ashara to free a group of Imperial and Republic hostages, and made sure that each of them had the means to reach one of their respective bases. Luckily, the pirates had been well equipped in terms of snow speeders. Then Andronikos had made a breakthrough regarding the immortal pirate's powers, and even found hints that the pirate group she was hunting next had stored some nice valuable goods in their lair, so the inquisitor had asked him to tag along and help secure the treasure. The Brig Stompers had an impressive name, but didn't pose much of a threat, so Raven wasn't too exhausted to claim the lost Republic data from yet another pirate outpost after sneaking through a pack of ice cats.

As the young Sith carefully drove through yet another snow storm with her apprentice at her side, while drawing heavily on the Force to compensate for the lack of vision and reliable sensors, she couldn't help but think that everything was going just a tiny little bit too well.

* * *

 _Hoth, Star of Coruscant, 5 BEA_

"I promise to release you once Thanaton is defeated."

Pain in Raven's hand from the cut required for the blood ritual was soon replaced by the overwhelming feeling of more power flowing through her veins, as the ghost of Horak-Mul submitted to her control and added his considerable Force energy to her own. By now the inquisitor knew what to expect, though, and managed to stay on her feet. Raven was just wondering whether she should recover some trinkets from the antique sarcophagus as a gift for Talos Drellik, when she suddenly felt a stab of pain through the Force.

Hurt. Fear, soon replaced by anger.

Her sister was in trouble.

And she was close, if the tremors in the Force were any indication. Apparently, Lea had really managed to get the pirate captain into the wreck of the Star of Coruscant. Not willing to waste any more time, Raven concentrated on her emotions and allowed her own fear an outlet. The metal walls screamed when hit by the Force, but parted nevertheless, allowing Sith Lord and Jedi follower direct passage towards their target.

Not a moment to soon. When the final wall burst before the inquisitor, she stepped into what looked like a slaughterhouse. In the snow beside her there was the Trandoshan, barely breathing, and a legion of dead pirates covered the floor. But there were more of them alive, and surrounding a glowing Jedi. Lea was still able to keep up a Force shield, despite holding one arm close to her body due to an injury, and using her dual lightsaber in single-blade mode.

The tallest and most ugly pirate started to laugh at their appearance. Judging from the confidence in his posture and the arrogance radiating from him, Raven guessed that this was Mr. Refuse-to-Die. Brains were not his strength, though.

"It's not your day, Jedi! You may have killed some of my men, but now even a Sith is here to finish you off. After this day, I'll not only be immortal, but also a legend, for bringing down one of the supposedly greatest Jedi of our times!"

Lea snorted disdainfully.

"Go kick your own sorry butt, before I cut you into little pieces", she snarled, and there was enough defiance in her voice to cover the pain Raven sensed clearly.

After that, chaos reigned. The Sith assassin jumped forward, and had cut a way through the pirates surrounding her sister before her foes knew what was happening. Grasping at the threads that bound them, the assassin pushed a part of her new strength in the Force towards the consular, while conjuring a lightning storm with whatever energy she had left. Ashara had entered the fray, too; Raven saw her blue blades dance through the mayhem. Something hit the young Sith, and Raven felt slight pain in her right leg from a grazing shot, but it wasn't important. The only thing that mattered was keeping those pirates from seriously harming one of her allies. Time became a vague concept, as the assassin sidestepped an enemy to reach the next, while keeping an eye on her sister and her apprentice. And again and again she felt the small shift in the Force, as more and more pirates fell to the ground.

Suddenly the leader of the pirate crew was standing in front of Raven, face distorted in pure rage, and his vibroblade lifted. The young Sith acted out of reflex, and a burst of concentrated Force lightning hit him square in the chest. Sparks flew, as the energy engulfed the privateer, and Raven hurried to jump back, as a thrown lightsaber and what looked like the largest section of the front wall struck him almost simultaneously.

Then only silence was left, and the triple sound of heavy breathing, plus the groans of the Trandoshan who slowly regained consciousness. Ashara, Force be with her, took one of their remaining kolto packs and tried to help Qyzen, while Raven approached the trembling Jedi.

"You okay, Lea?"

Of course she wasn't, the Sith corrected herself mentally, but when her sister finally deactivated her lightsaber and buried her head in the assassin's hair while nearly hugging the life out of her, Raven was confident that the Barsen'thor would be fine again in no time. So Lord Kallig stood in the cold and kept the Jedi on her feet, while the consular's companion slowly got to his own. Approaching the fallen pirate, the Trandoshan methodically examined his body, before breaking the armour into a thousand pieces. As he started to give the pirate's body a similar treatment, probably to make sure that he'd never return again, the inquisitor turned away. She was not sure whether she could take any more of this, and wasn't keen to find out the hard way.

* * *

Despite the cold wind outside, Raven relished the fresh air. On their way out of the fallen dreadnought, Lea had regained most of her usual composure, and some kolto and a short healing meditation had helped with her injuries. The young Sith was confident that her sister would be able to reach the next Republic outpost without further troubles. Before they parted, however, the Barsen'thor rummaged through her pockets and produced another lightsaber.

"Mum's teachings", she explained. "Always bring a backup for emergencies. Well, Darth Ignus was notorious for using her own weapons as traps, improvised emergency explosives, or whatever, so she actually tended to bring three or four into an average mission. And usually left with one or zero. Anyway, I just wanted to give you this."

Swift fingers removed the lightsaber crystal of the backup weapon, and Raven gazed in wonder at its crystal-clear white. She'd never seen such a shade of colour, or more actually non-colour, before, at least not in a lightsaber.

"Figure it is past time that you get rid of that bloody red", Lea quipped, nearly back to her usual self again. "I've only used this weapon for short training sessions, so it's as good as new. The raw stone was larger once, so Mum crafted a dual set out of it while she was pregnant. Given her experience and routine in rebuilding lightsabers, it's flawless work, and will serve you well."

Touching the crystal carefully, Raven thought that she felt a strange heat radiating from its surface, like the echoes of a distant fire that was greeting her through the decades.

"Mother made it?" she asked. "But how did you get it? And wouldn't you want to keep the stone yourself?"

Shaking her head, Lea firmly pressed the object into the Sith's hand.

"Whoever brought me to the Jedi left the stone there as well", she answered, "and no, I don't need it to recall my memories. I carried the remnants of Victoria Kell's spirit through most of my life, remember? And sometimes she's still there, inside my mind, even though she's been fading for the last years. But she knows that I found you. I was fast enough for that."

* * *

 _Hoth Orbital Station, 5 BEA_

Adamas Space Station was still controlled by some of Darth Marr's forces, so Raven dropped the Republic data cache that she'd secured with one of his followers, and also added the renegade Sith's lightsaber and some salvaged pirate data that might concern the defence of the Empire for good measure. Then she walked towards the hangar of her own trusty Fury starship, and smiled when she saw a small, by now well-known outline. She'd wanted to say goodbye to Talos on Hoth, but had learned that he'd quit the Imperial Reclamation Service and left the planet shortly before her arrival. Somehow she'd already suspected that she'd find him here, complete with his full gear, and a certain question.

And as it turned out, Raven was right, but for once, this wasn't a bad thing.

"I can always use another lover of the strange", the young Sith answered, when Talos asked her for permission to join her crew. "It would be my honour."

* * *

Finally back on her ship, Raven submitted a short report to the public office of Imperial Defence, including sensor logs and a note that the physical evidence was with Adamas Orbital's commanding officer. She then called her sister again, but only reached the Twi'lek sharpshooter. The assassin already knew that Lea had reached her own ship without troubles, but she'd forgotten to ask the Jedi if she had access to improved scanning equipment, and if it was possible to get a hint on where to acquire it herself. So she asked Zenith to tell the Barsen'thor that she wished to talk to her.

Raven helped herself to a huge cup of hot milk in the meantime, and wrapped herself into the warmest blanket she could find before scanning through Andronikos' latest data files. Despite a scorching shower, Hoth's cold was still gathering in her bones, and the inquisitor was seriously considering a short stop on Tatooine to warm herself up before confronting Thanaton. Her holocom beeped, signalling an incoming message, and the young Sith smiled, glad that her sister was returning her call so promptly.

"Hey, glad to see that the wreck didn't hurt you", she greeted, while searching for some cookies on the table behind her. "I wanted to ask you about sensor equip… _Emperor's twisted shoe lace_!"

Turning towards the monitor, Raven needed a split second to process what she was seeing, then another to hit the button to cut visual transmission in panic, and a couple of seconds for a heartfelt curse. The image that would surely hound her through her next nightmares may have shown heavy armour, but it wasn't anything like Lea's Jedi Knight style armour-robes, and neither silhouette nor colour had been correct.

Blast it. The blanket she was cuddled in was adorned with pictures of violet baby thrantas. The cup with a grinning nerf cow on it really didn't help, either...

"Despite your negative impression, I can assure you that my flagship is still in working condition, Lord Kallig", a very dry voice answered, and Raven groaned loudly. She'd have to leave the Empire after this. Baby thrantas, cow cup, and now that…

"I do suppose that this is not the best time, so I'll be brief", Darth Marr continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "Your evidence has been accepted as satisfactory for all four missions, so the corresponding payment will be transferred to your account shortly. Your service to the Empire has been noted."

"Err… thanks?" Raven tried, and did her best to force her voice to sound normal. Needless to say that she failed spectacularly.

"It's not idle flattery, but a fact", the old Sith retorted. "I did not expect anything less."

With these words, the comm channel was cut, and the inquisitor finally dared to breathe again. She couldn't help but wonder, though – Marr's voice had sounded a tad strained at the end of his call. It was probably just a distortion in the audio, nothing more but static, but for a moment, Raven had gotten the impression that the stoic warrior was trying to suppress a chuckle.

Less than a minute later, her comm chimed again, and this time, the young Sith checked who was calling before answering.

"Nice blanket. Is something wrong, Moira? You're looking a bit… strange."

Massaging her forehead, Raven closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, sis…"

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Thanaton's Meditation Chamber, 5 BEA_

"Fool! What have you done? You must stop this nonsense now!"

Raven would have been tempted to agree with Thanaton on the first expression, had no clue about the second part aside from realising that she'd somehow lost control, and actually tried to put an end to the Force emissions bursting from her whole body, but wasn't successful. She was distantly aware that the Darth started to run, but could neither follow nor do anything else, as a storm of energy held her firmly in place. Then she saw faces, outlines, drawing nearer and nearer, each of them familiar, each of them one of the ghosts she'd bound – and each of them smiling sinisterly. Then blackness claimed her, and the disturbing impressions vanished together with her consciousness.

Awareness. The feeling of something cold, hard under her cheek. Cool fingers on her forehead, the feeling of warm Force energy around her. A conscious thought in addition to these sensations.

Where was she?

What had happened?

"Blast it. He got away, didn't he?"

Her memories returned, and Raven struggled a moment to separate fresh from old ones. She'd found herself waking from unconsciousness on varying floors after way too many weird Force rituals at least three times too often. Weekly average, of course.

"Yes, my lord. He pushed Khem into the next wall and ran, while I was busy helping Talos, and Andronikos tried to shoot him, but didn't manage to break through his Force protections. We should leave now, though, if you can, because your rituals did destabilize the whole chamber."

Raven wasn't that sure if she could, as she was feeling like all three Chandrilan hells combined. Finally Khem had to carry her, while Ashara and Andronikos made sure that Thanaton hadn't prepared some kind of trap for them, and Talos excused herself to do something else. Raven didn't really understand his words, just something about research, but trusted the archaeologist not to do something stupid.

The worst part was that the assassin still couldn't pinpoint where everything had gone wrong. She'd bound another ghost on Hoth, and after some discussions with her friends, they'd all agreed to attack the enemy Darth before he could manage to seriously hurt them. In an all-or-nothing attack, the inquisitor had gathered her whole crew to face Thanaton, and had easily defeated his student who had come at her first when she'd invaded his master's sanctuary. Then the older Sith Lord had started a ritual, she had called on the power of the ghosts, deeper and deeper… too deep.

"You overstretched yourself and lost control", one of the Sith ghosts whispered. Raven had problems identifying who of them was actually talking. "We had no choice but to serve you before, but now, we can finally have some fun."

Fury replaced confusion, and the young Sith felt something like clarity swap through her mind as her brain started working again properly for a moment.

"You had a choice, all of you", she hissed, feeling the icy cold of betrayal again, and cursing herself for somehow believing that these Sith might be indeed her allies. Naive and foolish. "Ergast freely taught me his ritual, and then challenged me to bind him. The rest of you all agreed to help me in exchange for freedom."

Her words sounded hollow in her own mental ears, but to Raven's surprise, the ghostly pressure on her thoughts lessened slightly.

"She's not wrong", another voice interrupted. "I agreed to this. If you did, too, then this isn't right."

"What kind of a Sith are you?"

Another voice. Raven wasn't sure if it was the first again, or one of the other ghosts. Her head was starting to ache from the chaos in her brain.

"I say, we take the power while we can."

"And if we can't? She's strong, you know that. We've all felt it. And she has allies. We might fare better honouring her deal."

"You can't be serious…"

Darkness, again. Feeling the deepest sympathy for her Shadow Killer, who'd endured a very vocal Sith ghost in his head for months now, Raven welcomed the silence, as the world around her faded from sight once more.

* * *

 _Fury, Medical Station, 5 BEA_

"Slowly, my lord. You are stable for now, but to recover fully, you will need more time and more specialized treatments."

Relieved that it was Talos, and not one of the ghosts, Raven opened her eyes slowly and was pleasantly surprised when the room around her didn't start to spin like crazy. Even better, the room turned out to be a part of her own starship, and from the low sounds of the engine she could hear, the assassin guessed that they were in space once more. That meant safety, for now.

"Thank you", she answered, voice as weak as she felt, and slowly started to sit up. "Do I want to know what you mean by 'specialized treatments'?"

Ashara coughed slightly.

"Probably not, my lord", she answered in Talos' place. "Private notes from Thanaton from his secret library show that another Sith Lord faced a similar problem with talk-active ghosts, and sought help on a mysterious world called Voss. Yet another Sith was dying from acquiring too much power too quickly, and believed that salvation could be found on a remote world, Belsavis."

"I'm dying?"

Raven would have expected that sentence to be more of a shock, but after the last hours or days, her brain was probably beyond normal panic. For now, it seemed nothing more than a minor inconvenience to her.

"No, or, well, not in the near future", her apprentice answered slowly. "But your condition is worrisome, my lord. You must find a way to control or drain some of your power, or your body will start to suffer in earnest. And you also need to regain control of those ghosts as well. I heard you arguing with them in your sleep, and you can't beat Thanaton while your mind is shattered."

Great. Raven had almost managed to forget that her personal nemesis was still out there, and trying to turn her into a trophy, which he could put on his blasted wall.

Wait…

"Excuse me, but what was that about a secret library and Thanaton's private notes?"

This time it was Talos who cleared his throat.

"Um, actually, I infiltrated his chambers", the archaeologist admitted. "Claimed to be there for research in Thanaton's name, and presented the guards my old Imperial Reclamation Service ID. Since my resignation has yet to be filed, and my service to you is not public knowledge, the guards didn't perceive me as a threat, and allowed me full access. And the Darth had already guessed what you were trying to do, and was gathering information on how to fight you, or what to expect from you in your next confrontation, plus anything that might be remotely useful. Very convenient for us, less convenient for him that we got it."

Deceptively non-threatening, indeed. Raven stared at Talos in wonder, and was suddenly very relieved that the lieutenant was firmly on her side.

* * *

Author's Note: Still alive, just real-life issues claiming more hours than usual. And a broken computer didn't help. Thanks for asking, thanks for reading, a special thanks for the reviews!


	21. Athiss

_Dromund Kaas, Sphere of Mysteries' Quarters, 28 BEA_

"I need to learn to close my mind."

Red eyes focused on yellow ones, but Victoria didn't allow the old Sith's glare to deter her. At least with her master, she was indeed staring into a real, flesh-and-blood face, and not a motionless mask of durasteel.

Serpentis was the first to blink, albeit from surprise, or perhaps due to a hint of a guilty conscience.

"Sorry, young dragon, reading the thoughts of those around me has become a habit over the years", the older inquisitor answered slowly. "It's neither meant as an insult, nor as a sign of special distrust…"

But the younger assassin only passed over the explanation with a wave of her hand.

"I'm not complaining about you, my master", she answered. "If I had issues with that, I would certainly not ask the culprit for help, would I?"

Memories stirred, and Victoria made a fist, as electricity surged around her. "It's… somebody else. And I'm quite positive that he hasn't read my thoughts, ever, but he's way too adept in picking up my general state of mind without it. I therefore wish to learn to make my face into an unreadable mask that betrays nothing. I wish to be able to mimic your smile, master, that special expression that could frighten a Krayt dragon. I wish to be able to sever a Force bond, to hide my emotions from…"

Serpentis blinked again, her face virtually covered in big question marks.

"Wait a second, young dragon. Force bond? Who exactly are we talking about here?"

Blast it. Of course a master assassin would catch on the details.

"Does it matter?" Victoria countered, and sought refuge in her best 'ask further questions and you'll need new furniture' expression. "I'm sick of it, anyway."

"And why is that?"

Red flames started to waft through the inquisitor's mind again, as further memories surfaced.

"Because I am not a Kath hound, to be trained, ignored, or unleashed at another's whim. I am no simple resource, to be used for whatever noble or nefarious purpose, or to be manipulated past my conscious thoughts. I do not wish others to wield the power over me to calm me down with some simple sentences or gestures of comfort or understanding, even when I am beyond normal fear and terror…"

"Excuse me, but what exactly had you terrified to that extend, Lord Kell?"

 _Blast it._

"Never mind. I don't want my face to be an open book, so gaping wide that others don't even need to read my thoughts to know what I feel. I am no reusable thermal detonator, to be primed with some comments, set off on enemies, and then to be disarmed again with a light touch. I…"

"Touch?!"

" _Shoulder_. Never mind! I just can't stand it any more! I want to stop seeing his silhouette drawn in dark flames through walls as thick as ten inches of Mandalorian Iron! I want to stop feeling his very presence from whole sectors away! I want to stop my nerves to react to his voice alone, no matter his words, and I most certainly want to stop the drea… err… dread… whatever."

Victoria had actually had to change her daily routine some months ago. First point on her daily schedule was, by now, an ice-cold shower. Multiple ones, in fact, if her dreams – nightmares, she reminded herself – had been especially vivid. More often than not, though, this did nothing to help her calm down, as the temperature only served to remind her of a certain somebody's Force aura.

"I want to stop making a fool of myself regularly", she confessed, eyes cast down. "And I most certainly want to stop having my soul stripped of most if not all defences during a mission, just to find myself in a discussion about lightsabers and modifications the next morning."

Looking up to her master again, Victoria was astonished to see the old Darth's expression. She hadn't known that human eyes could become that large.

"Kell, what exactly has happened between you and…"

The young assassin couldn't stop herself from making a face.

"Most certainly _not_ what you are thinking right now, my master. Though I have to say, you just looked as if I was a very misbehaving Padawan, and you were my shocked Jedi master. We simply killed a bunch of Advozsec, extracted some data from their station, made their base explode, and returned to the ship with no more casualties than my nerves, dignity, and composure. Then I spent ten hours more or less comatose in standard regulation-style guest quarters, _alone_ , and the next awkward morning we talked about weapons. I have far more experience with crafting and upgrading weapons than the usual Sith, so I could give him some pointers."

Shaking her head, Serpentis finally stopped staring at her apprentice as if she'd grown a second head.

"Well, if that certain somebody is who I think he is, than it was past time that he got himself another lightsaber. With all his rationality and reason, he was getting a bit peculiar about his weapon. Granted, it's an invaluable antique that did belong to none other than Tulak Hord, if I remember correctly, but the lord I'm thinking of flat-out refuses to have anybody but him ever touch his weapon, including his own sphere's artifice crafter and technicians."

Victoria fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Oh come on", she sighed, "you know very well who it is I am talking about. You've read the mission reports, after all. But what was that about lightsabers?"

"One of Tulak Hord's, I think. Priceless, and of high quality, certainly."

That wasn't what the young assassin had meant, but she'd rather bitten on her tongue than to admit it. Ignoring her palm, which suddenly seemed to burn with new and old memories, and the echoes of exploding life-support units on savage-filled stasis pods ringing through her ears, she tilted her head.

"We just talked about lightsaber crystals and the best way to cut them."

Well, that, and she'd demonstrated the benefits of her own cut of choice by simply switching their respective crystals for a short training session. Tiny alterations to blade width, focus or other properties didn't make that much of a difference at first glance, but when you relied on a single weapon to save your life on a daily basis, every little bit counted. There was no such thing as the 'best' cut, however, just optimal choices for a certain fighting style.

But her master didn't have to know everything. And she had asked for permission before she had started to dismantle the relic's hilt.

 _Maybe_ …

Quenching that thought and the little voice inside her head, for nobody knows the treacherous song of hope better than an assassin, Victoria shook her head a little more thoroughly than she needed to.

Her master, though, was looking thoughtful again.

"You know, perhaps you should just say something, little dragon."

The young assassin didn't even erupt in Force lightning at that suggestion, but simply snorted.

"Hells, master, I'm past teenage drama. It took me way too long to realise that I had developed a crush on that black moving trash can, but when I did, it was like throwing a detonator into an exploding volcano – nothing to salvage from the mess, so another small inferno makes no real difference. Didn't I tell you that my nerves, composure and probably also common sense were casualties in this mission?"

Serpentis' face was a carefully controlled mask that didn't give away her thoughts.

"Kell, what exactly…"

To the three hells with it. Victoria lifted her shoulders and breathed deeply.

"I nearly attacked Fortis again, and this time, it was close. Though, to my defence, he did provoke me deliberately, and even admitted it. Then I realised that I couldn't fight him, then I realised why I couldn't do so, at least partially confessed it, and then we returned to the ship. I slept about ten hours flat, then we talked about weapons, and then I used the first chance I got to leave. Simple. Oh, and I may have seriously crossed his flagship's cook."

Looking to her master and hoping that she wouldn't face another angry Darth, the young inquisitor was surprised to see that her master had closed her eyes and was massaging her temples.

"And Fortis?"

Shrugging again, Victoria shook her head.

"What about him? Being his usual rational self, he just saw to it that my questionable mood didn't disintegrate the station before we left. And then he did entertain in some small-talk to stop me from disintegrating his ship as well. As I said, I have had enough of being manipulated, no matter the reason. The new year has just started, and if I had one wish free, I'd choose not to see him again for the next months. Or years. I know that peace is a lie, but chasing a phantom is no passion that I can draw strength from. As I said, I need to learn to close my mind."

And some time to lick her wounds, so to speak. Waiting for a reaction from her master, the young Sith was relieved when Serpentis slowly started to nod in understanding.

When Victoria turned to leave, though, her master called her back once more.

"I can imagine that the last journey was emotionally taxing, young dragon, but I fail to see any connection to a cook, of all people. Anything I should know about?"

Shaking her head, the assassin smiled grimly.

"Probably not, my lord. It's just that the destroyer's chef didn't appreciate me sitting there during breakfast and nibbling at one of my own ration bars while watching the other officers eat a first-class meal. He was angry enough to call his master, imagine that. So I told both of them that while I did believe that Fortis could and would kill me without the help of poisons if he deemed it necessary, I wouldn't put that much trust into the rest of the crew. Or anyone, really, with the exception of you. That was the second reason why I left the frigate – I don't fancy purgatives in my drinks, or other creative forms of retaliation. My datapad's sensors are not perfect."

Serpentis snorted, a rare sound for the old master.

"Apparently you are not beyond flattery, young dragon. Or why do you think that I wouldn't try to poison you?"

Grinning, the inquisitor patted her stomach.

"That's an easy one. You're a far too grasping person to waste money for poisons if you want to get rid of me, since you know pretty well that you'd need extraordinarily potent stuff to put me down. I can drink a rancor under the table, remember? All those years drinking smaller doses of poisons and antidotes in bathtub quantities have their uses. Why spend a fortune, when you can just order me on an impossible mission?"

Something like a warm smile lit the old Darth's red eyes up.

"Experience", she answered dryly. "Done so for the past years now, but you keep coming back. Seems that I'm not able to dispose of you that way, so I might very well just promote you, young dragon."

Closing her eyes, Victoria balled her fists. Of course he'd been right. The blasted black oracle didn't just walk around and invent things, even if the world around him was about to explode into a myriad pieces.

"You don't seem to be particularly pleased by the prospect, Lord Kell. I am aware that you once argued against being a, how did you put it, 'glorified cleaning lady' for an absent Sith leader, but since you're doing that job, anyway, I think you might as well benefit from the privileges that come with being a Darth."

The young assassin suddenly noticed every small sound around her, like she was in a heightened state of awareness that helped her notice even the smallest variations in air pressure or electric currents in the walls. Not because she sensed danger or something, but because she felt that this moment was important. Being the apprentice of a Dark Councillor was one thing, but being Serpentis' only direct apprentice with a Darth title would put her among the prime candidates for her master's seat if the old Sith ever died of natural causes, or at the hands of an enemy like a Jedi, who couldn't ascend to the Dark Council to replace her. Did she want to exchange her freedom for the responsibilities associated with that possibility?

Victoria resisted the urge to hit her head against the wall, as she realized that it wasn't really a question any more. Somehow, during the last years, she'd come from not giving a bantha's ear about the state of the Empire to genuinely caring about it's citizens. She still couldn't say 'for the Empire' with a straight face, but the meaning behind that sentiment was what had driven her to Colla IV in the first place. The mission to Kaon and the Hammer Station fight were muddled with emotion, but when she washed all of that away, a core of similar motivation was left for those incidents as well.

 _Not a mindless beast_ , her subconsciousness supplied.

 _I could use some help up there_...

Which did not help at all.

Taking a deep breath, Victoria gritted her teeth, squared her shoulders, and tried to kick her own fears somewhere where it hurt. The decision had been made long ago, really, without her consciously noticing it.

"I will not deny that wielding the powers of a Darth is enticing. Promise me this, though, my master: Don't get sloppy with your medical check-ups, remember to eat a healthy diet, scan your food before eating, and upgrade your personal shields, armour, and lightsaber. I couldn't stand the idea of sitting on the Dark Council before, but right now, it would be like a waking nightmare."

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Sphere of Mysteries' Ceremony Chamber, 28 BEA_

"And so, from this moment on, another sword shall strike at the foes of the Empire. Which name will inspire new heights of terror in our enemies' hearts, Lord Kell?"

Looking up from her position on her knees in the centre of the ceremonial chamber, Victoria did not hesitate for a second.

"Ignus, my lord and master."

The inquisitor was keenly aware of every living soul in the room. Since she'd opted for a small ceremony without any external guests, she knew everybody, and even trusted everyone present to some extend. Which hadn't stopped her from picking up an additional portable shield generator, and scouting the whole sphere's rooms for hidden bombs shortly before the start of Serpentis' speech, but that was only common Sith paranoia. For once, she wasn't expecting trouble.

"Then rise, Darth Ignus. You shall be the fire that warms our allies, while scorching our enemies without mercy."

Victoria bowed towards her master, who stood there, tall despite her small form, regal in her finest robes, and with a smile on her weathered, corrupted features that showed open pride. And despite her doubts and fears that were associated with her new title, the inquisitor felt a new warmth rise within her.

Darth Ignus.

Somehow, this name sounded… right.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Sphere of Mysteries, 28 BEA_

"Seems that I have to think of a new nickname for you, Lord Ignus."

Looking up from her datapad, Victoria smiled at her master.

"Why should you? Dragons and fire are not mutually exclusive, aren't they? Or was that your way of telling me that I'm getting old?"

The older Sith chuckled slightly.

"Not yet, young dragon. So you aren't going to copy some of your new colleagues' quirks to delete any- and everything connected to their Darth-title-lacking youth, I take it?"

The young Sith rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Why would I? I won't throw away my current lightsaber to hunt down some rusty artefact as replacement, either. The only thing I'm pondering to replace is, actually, my armour. Your old armour. Whatever. It has served me well, but with the newest inventions in armour technology, I'll have to upgrade it soon. And let's face it, since I… recoloured it back then during my descent on Kaon, it's… well, not really fit for any representative mission that a Darth might be required to undertake. I could do with a new set."

Victoria was also entertaining the thought to acquire some contact lenses again, as she'd done before when she'd been promoted to Lord of the Sith. Her own eyes were still disappointingly yellow, and that was almost incommensurate with a Darth title. Red or at least dark orange, that was the way to go, but right up until now, even the closest inspection of her irises hadn't yielded the slightest hint of crimson.

A small cough by her master tore her away from her musings, though.

"One other thing, young dragon. I haven't forgotten that you are not that keen on talking to your former brother-in-arms any time soon, but with all the fights that you have seen together, it would be polite to send Fortis a small note regarding your new rank. Or are things that bad between you two?"

And here we go again…

"I am not fifteen, my lord", Victoria answered, and refrained from turning her face into a hideous grimace. "I actually tried to do so before scheduling the whole ceremony thing. To no avail, though, since a certain member of the Dark Council is currently playing babysitter for the Imperial Diplomatic Corps again, and that under radio silence. That secession movement thing on Csilla has gotten worse during the last months, so Fortis continued towards this particular icy corner of space directly after our last mission, with just a small stop at Vaiken Space Dock to refuel and get some new provisions. Apparently, Chiss politics are complicated."

She still tracked his movements, both to keep her skills in shape, and to get an early warning in case he was heading to the same system that she was currently residing in. This time, though, she had actually formulated an official request for information in addition to her spying, but the lord she'd spoken to hadn't been able to tell her how long his master would be occupied.

"That also means that I didn't have to agonize over the question whether to invite him to the naming ceremony or not. Which was lucky, all things considered, because that one would have given me quite a headache."

Trying for her best 'your concern is appreciated, but let's change the topic' face, Victoria wasn't surprised when she felt a small pull in her thoughts again.

"All right, young dragon", her master conceded. "About the new armour that you mentioned... It is customary for a master to present her apprentice with a gift after a promotion. And while I do know your size, I'm ready to take requests regarding form, colour, or other specifications. Your crafting skills regarding lightsabers and crystals are superb, but your decoration skills with respect to heavy armour are somewhat lacking."

* * *

 _Imperial Assault Shuttle, Space, 28 BEA_

Yawning, Victoria tried to roll herself out of bed without damaging her limbs or the rudimentary furniture of the shuttle, and to reach the small bathroom and cold water without further delay. When she had finally stopped feeling like massacring the next being she met without question, the young Darth checked her schedule and sighed deeply in disappointment. Since she'd achieved her new title two weeks ago, she'd been constantly on the move to participate in the war against the Republic. Not on the front lines of random large-scale battles, of course; her assassination skills were better used elsewhere. But right now, her journal was empty.

The newest Darth of the Empire activated her holocom and called her master.

"My lord, both General Zahalhe and Jedi Master Bes are eliminated. And the Republic's laboratories on Ord Mantell have been sabotaged, and information has been leaked to civilian newspapers. I'm curious how the officials will explain an outbreak of Corellian Red Fever in a classy cold mountain environment. Unless, of course, they'll just admit to researching bioweapons."

Nodding, the old Sith acknowledged the good news with a smile. Still, Victoria couldn't help but notice that it was a bit strained. To the three hells with politeness.

"I do suppose not everything is going well on your end, though, master", she stated, and caught Serpentis by surprise – at least if her jerk was any indication.

"Was I that obvious, young dragon?" her master retorted, and the smile on the old Sith Lord's face grew a tad more genuine. "There is indeed a new problem that has surfaced, but it is not so urgent that I would have to discuss it on an unsecured channel. Please return to Dromund Kaas as soon as you have finished your current assignments."

Well, it was nice that she didn't have to hurry, but the inquisitor didn't like that her master was worried. Definitely not.

"On my way, my lord", Victoria answered promptly, and entered the new coordinates into her ship's computer. Republic, renegade Sith, pirates, potential civil war on Csilla, or just a shortage of her master's favourite chocolate – she would find out soon enough. And it was very likely that Darth Ignus would get the chance to burn something while solving the problem.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Sphere of Mysteries, 28 BEA_

Victoria reached her master's halls without further delay or noteworthy problems. Serpentis was expecting her, and the aura of worry that surrounded the old Sith was even more pronounced now, as the younger inquisitor could observe her in person. There were deeper lines in the pale, leathery face, which Victoria didn't like, and her master appeared to be... unsettled by something.

"I sense fear in you, master", the inquisitor stated, bluntly, driven by her own unrest. "Give me a name, and enough flammable material, and I'll send whoever it is that bothers you to a personalized instance of the hottest Corellian Hell in existence."

When even that image wasn't enough to make Darth Serpentis smile, Victoria abandoned all notions of protocol, closed in on the Dark Lord, and carefully grasped the wrinkled hands.

"What's wrong, my lord?" she asked, with all the empathy her brain and heart could scrap together, and finally, the older woman returned the gesture of comfort with a sigh.

"It's Athiss", Serpentis started, and shook her head. "No, I suppose most people nowadays haven't even heard of this planet. It was the home and final resting place of the Sith alchemist Vodal Kressh, young dragon. His name is all but forgotten, because the Emperor himself decreed it. He quarantined Vodal's work, and declared the whole planet forbidden. Nobody may land on the cursed surface, and I shudder to think what could be awakened there."

"The _Emperor_ was involved? And that involvement didn't end with smoking ruins and ash, but a quarantine zone? Frozen hells."

Slowly, Victoria started to understand the fear of her master.

"We wouldn't be talking about this rock if everybody had just stayed away from it", the young Sith concluded. "Who, or what, is stirring on the planet?"

But her master only lifted her shoulders once in what was almost a shrug.

"I don't know for sure, young dragon. Our automatic sensors picked up a Republic signature close to the system a while ago, but lost it in an ion storm. Either it's really idiotic explorers, or Vodal's mad legacy is awakening on its own. If it's the former, we have to stop them from unleashing something we might all regret, Empire or Republic, and if not... well, we have to hope that the Emperor was just overly cautious or wanted to keep Athiss' secrets for himself. But whatever it is, somebody has to stop it, Darth Ignus."

Victoria clasped her hands, and tried to ignore her master's tone. There was a hint of what might have been carefully hidden dread in her voice.

"Well, if it's only the Republic, I don't see the problem. And if Kressh's servants dance on his grave, I'll certainly find a way to make them join their master. You did say that he was an alchemist, so I suppose standard poisons won't really cut it..."

"Kell. This is serious. I have spent the last week pondering who to send, and I have seen death every night. Visions are not beyond failure, but this... I have never experienced something like that."

Ouch. Suddenly, Victoria was feeling slightly creeped out as well.

"So, worst-case scenario is Kressh's ghost, alchemical experiments, plus loyal fanatic servants", she mused. "At least the servants and possible enhanced beasts are mortal, but you'd need somebody strong in the Force to ward off the Sith spirit."

"And somebody skilled in the art of war to have a chance against the rest, yes. That limits my options to Darths, or especially strong lords. And it would be best to send more than one person, but it would have to be a true team, and not just a collection of multiple lone fighters. Any Sith ghost could turn random Sith against each other, and Vodal was no ordinary Sith."

Even a Force-blind Miraluka would have seen where Serpentis was heading.

Victoria closed her eyes and cursed inwardly, knowing that this was really not the best time to be herself.

"Hells. No. Not yet. Not with him."

"However, the primary candidates are obviously unavailable", the old Darth continued, shrugging. "It doesn't matter why, but it's just a fact, young dragon. You'd have to be able to trust your companion, even more than during the other impossible missions that I sent you into..."

"It's not that I don't trust Fortis! Or at least not less than usually. I just don't want to see him!"

"And I don't think that you will be able to survive on your own, apprentice, nor be able to end the danger", the ancient lord continued. "Not even you are that strong."

The pause between Serpentis' words rang especially loud in Victoria's ears.

"Therefore I have decided to lead the mission myself, and to ask the Sphere of Imperial Defence for help. I have worked with its leader before", her master finished, and her face was again the impenetrable mask that Victoria envied. But the young assassin had learned to watch even black steel for cues.

"You saw your own death", Darth Ignus stated, and as she spoke those words, she knew that it was the truth.

Her master's face remained unmoving, but the younger Sith sensed that she had hit a nerve.

"The Force is forever in motion", the older Darth finally answered, calmly, but in confirmation. "What appears certain today can be impossible tomorrow."

Again, red and yellow eyes met, and Victoria felt anger rise within her – fuelled by a feeling of helplessness.

"That is an even bigger heap of Gundark dung than what you once found in your private quarters, my lord. How much 'motion' did you see in the Force during that last week? How many times did you see yourself die? And do you honestly want to tell me that these visions do not affect you? Hells, of course the Force is in motion, but if I can sense your fear, that Vodal ghost will, too, and Sith are conditioned to prey on weakness. Those dream pictures alone are no death sentence, but that will be cold comfort if they kill you indirectly by demoralising you."

Breathing deeply, the young Sith tried to stop her fingers from burning.

"I already told you once, master: You are Sith – please act like one. Send me to Athiss. Ask Fortis for his help once he's back; I doubt it will take him much longer to pacify Csilla. He will certainly do his duty for the Empire. And if you'll excuse me now, I need to go and hit my head against a wall. Trice-damned blasted Vodal and his alchemical adventures..."

* * *

 _Athiss, Landing Zone, 28 BEA_

When Victoria exited her assault shuttle, she was astonished how... familiar Athiss appeared. She hadn't even heard from this rock since a week ago, but now that she was standing on its surface, it reminded her profoundly of Korriban's wastes, complete with old tombs and cold dark Force emissions from long-dead lords. Albeit a more beautiful Korriban of the past, where the blood-red earth and harsh valleys were softened with vegetation. Wind blew gently through swaying leaves, and the assassin smelled a hint of a flowery scent in the air. Ignoring the second Imperial shuttle that had landed shortly before her for a second, Victoria took the opportunity to look around, while ordering her droids to guard the small ships. She couldn't shield them all with a Force cloak, and even her SP droids were no match for Force-sensitive servants, or the Sith ghost itself.

Hm...

The young assassin nodded inwardly, appreciating the planet's cunning. What better way to lure its victims in than to appear familiar, sort of harmless, and even beautiful? That thought alone was sufficient to break Athiss' spell. Suddenly, the wind blew stronger, while the sun's glaring light caught itself uncannily in dried, dead branches the young Darth hadn't noticed before. Gone was the smell of flowers, replaced by rotten flesh, and shadows everywhere danced, mockingly, whispering to her that her skills were useless, that the whole planet knew of her presence.

Blast it all.

"Let's see who gets the last laugh, stupid rock", she hissed at the open space before her, and allowed red flames to dance around her arms. "You might not feel like making faces at me once I have burned each and every inch of your surface to black glass..."

Speaking of black... Victoria turned, as she heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her, and readied herself for a smart-ass comment regarding her habit of talking to some stones. But Fortis remained serious.

"You feel it, too. There is a presence here that watches us. Gauges our strengths and weaknesses. It likely plans to test our strength before confronting us in earnest."

In all the years that she'd known him, the black-armoured Darth had never sounded more like a Kaleesh doom-sayer. That didn't do much to help the young inquisitor's composure.

"It doesn't matter now how he awakened, but Vodal Kressh's spirit walks these plains", the Sith warrior continued, calm again, rational in the face of danger. What a surprise. "And his power is considerable. Kell... Ignus… Victoria... about the last mission..."

"Stop."

Not caring in the slightest whether junior Darths were officially allowed to interrupt Dark Council members without fear of repercussions or not, Victoria squinted her eyes while staring at the familiar black mask before her.

"Whatever problems I may or may not have, personal or otherwise, without going into any details, I will certainly not discuss them in front of a doddery ancient Sith grandfather ghost."

Breathing so deeply that she nearly felt her lung explode, the inquisitor made a serious attempt at calming down again.

"Know that I trust you", she all but forced out, trying not to swallow her tongue in the process, or to suffocate at these words that no Sith should ever, under any circumstances, utter aloud, at least not without severe restrictions. "Now, if you can believe that I do not intend to burn you for the next hours, I suggest we do this mission, kick that blasted alchemist into his laboratory equipment, and go home again. Preferably with my nerves intact."

Fortis hesitated for a second, which wasn't benevolent for the assassin's blood pressure, but finally decided to humour her.

"You do make a... compelling point."

* * *

 _Athiss, Subterranean Corridors, 28 BEA_

Sneaking through yet another ancient room with more tuk'ata, Victoria signalled her companion to make a short break the next chance they got. As soon as they reached a convenient empty side chamber at the end of an equally vacant corridor, the assassin dropped her Force cloak, and sighed in relief as her headache started to recede.

"Conserving our strength through bypassing those beasts seemed like a good idea when we started, but if our favourite alchemist ghost can get into their head, we might face a whole pack of them in addition to whatever opponent might block our way next. I therefore suggest we retreat back to the shuttles."

It was a sensible suggestion, since her equipment was back at the little spacecraft, so the inquisitor was surprised when the Darth next to her jerked as if she had hit him.

"Ignus. You are not a…"

No sound was audible for what felt like a large fraction of eternity, as Fortis seemed to rediscover his own survival instinct, while Victoria stared at him in incredulous disbelief. Then she shot forward, grasped some part of his chest armour, and pulled sharply, until his black mask was located directly in front of her own nose.

"'Coward', you were going to say?!" she hissed, squinting her eyes so furiously that she felt her muscles hurt. Not that she paid attention to that inconvenience. "I am an assassin, not a brainless brute. When I see an option to trick my opponent, or to make my job easier, then I'll do it. That number of beasts around here is actually large enough to make an impact, and since I brought my own shuttle, I have some funny little surprises at my disposal. Now, stay here if you want, but try not to get eaten."

Swallowing the rest of her anger, and stopping herself from adding 'You might still be useful' or other pleasantries, the inquisitor released the black heap of metal in front of her, and tried to stalk away. Which was somehow impeded by the wall of unmovable black ice that she hit.

"Ignus. We are both on edge. I do know that you are not a coward."

Which was actually what Victoria knew he had meant to say before, but now the context was different. Breathing a little harder than strictly necessary, the inquisitor felt the flames around her limbs go out.

"Yeah", she conceded. "And I don't think it's just the blasted ghost. Sorry."

The young Darth enshrouded herself in darkness again, and extended this shield to her companion when he shadowed her movements. Fortis was way too close to allow her to breathe comfortably, but Victoria knew that actually splitting up in what would likely become a war zone soon would have been even worse.

* * *

 _Athiss, Excavated Tomb, 28 BEA_

"So, Fortis, what did happen on Csilla, if you don't mind me asking? I didn't have time to crack the high-security channels, and public news are sketchy at best. Those are dramatic sketches, though."

Looking to the Darth at her side, who was crouched down next to herself on the stone beam that ran along the whole hall, Victoria heard a sound that was nearly a snort. Well, that, or it was some part of the cacophony below them. After the assassin had dropped the bottle with experimental tuk'ata pheromones on the unsuspecting Republic explorer group below them, the results had been… impressive. Victoria didn't know whether Vodal's ghost had even tried to control the vicious beasts or not; if so, his efforts had been in vain. He was certainly influencing the leading archaeologist from the Republic team, though. The woman was shooting lightning from her fingers, but the sheer number of beasts made Victoria place her money on the Sith dogs.

"I suppose you can indeed call the mission 'dramatic', at least at the end", Fortis commented calmly. "Chiss rebels tried to assassinate the Imperial emissaries, presumably to incite a brutal response and to force the Csillan government into rebellion against the Empire. Or to spark a full-out civil war."

"They tried something like that while you were there?" Victoria couldn't believe her ears. "Are they really that stupid?"

But the black-armoured warrior next to her only shook his head.

"It was close, actually. The insurgents managed to smuggle a deadly poison into one of the ingredients of a formal dinner. It was rare enough not to show up on our sensor equipment, and since none of the actual culprits were in the vicinity, none of the Sith present did sense the danger. The Chiss delegates were as unsuspecting as the rest of us. I confiscated the leftovers and some of the corpses afterwards and sent parts to Imperial Intelligence, the Sphere of Biotic Science, the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge, and the Sphere of Mysteries."

Ouch. That must be an interesting substance. Resolving to check with her master upon her return from Athiss whether it had already been isolated and was fit for replication, Victoria scratched her head.

"And the fact that we two are talking right now means that you also have inlays of black durasteel in your digestive system, or…?"

There was no doubt that Fortis had snorted now.

"No. I had respected the teachings of a master assassin, which say that it is wise to employ caution even among allies, and refused to participate in the feast. My people followed my lead without question, and the majority of the Sphere of Diplomacy's delegates assumed that I knew something they didn't, and stayed away as well. The remaining participants did not survive the night."

The Darth's voice was still steady, but Victoria sensed a hint of what was likely disturbance at the memories. Which meant that those hadn't been the most comfortable of deaths.

"Sounds bad", she admitted, and shook her head to get rid of the images her fantasy supplied. "Well, rumour has it that the Sphere of Diplomacy and Expansion needs a new leader. Couldn't Darth Oppugno resist the lure of Csillan cuisine, or did a rebel kill him directly?"

There was a short pause, and the young Sith felt Fortis' full attention on her for a moment.

"No", he finally answered, and his tone was now of a deadly calm that made the small hairs on Victoria's arms stand on end. "I did."

Familiar cold black ice hit Victoria again, but this time, she was actually glad about it, given that she had been about to fall from her lofty position on the stone beam.

"Uh, I do suppose that you had a compelling reason to do so?" she half stated, half asked, and swallowed. When the infighting _within_ the Dark Council reached that level, things were usually bad.

"Yes. Oppugno insisted on bombing Csaplar in revenge. A move like that would have driven Csilla away from the Empire permanently, and made sure that the rebels succeeded. Since the Chiss are a useful resource, and of relevance for the defence of the Empire, I assumed control of the situation, and overruled him."

The young assassin ducked her head in reflex, hoping that she'd never have to deal with such business herself.

"So, is there an unofficial hierarchy among the spheres which I wasn't aware of?" she asked curiously. "Or why were you able to just do so?"

"I did anticipate this possibility and made sure that the other members of the Council agreed with my position before even landing on Csilla. And I won't deny that commanding a bigger fleet helped as well", Fortis explained dryly. "Since Oppugno had no legal options left and was, by then, beside himself with rage, he challenged me personally. In hindsight, he would certainly agree that this was not a wise decision."

Which was an understatement, of course. Victoria cleared her throat, glad that the black-armoured warrior did have nerves of steel as well, or at least enough patience not to dissect an ill-tempered lord who had nearly attacked him not only once, but twice.

"Note to self: Try not to challenge a certain Darth a third time", she joked, seeking refuge in irony, and even got a slight chuckle out of the composed warrior. "Just out of interest, though: Which master assassin did you refer to? I wasn't aware that you read the teachings of the old inquisitors as well."

There was no mistaking the hint of amusement her companion radiated through the Force.

"It is always a good idea to be prepared. I do wish to emphasize that I didn't use the word 'old', though. And regarding the lesson: I learned it less than a month ago, in a star ship's galley."

Feeling the blood rush to her cheeks, for whatever reason, Victoria stared down at the chaos below her to collect her thoughts. There wasn't much left to see, though; the tuk'ata had suffered heavy losses, but the Republic team was gone, permanently. Some remnants of their armours were scattered around, and the surviving beasts had left the scene. Presumably to digest in peace.

"Well", she finally commented, and kept her eyes firmly on the ground below her, "always glad to serve the Empire. I still owed you for the Cortosis plates, so that just might make us even."

* * *

 _Athiss, The Ruins of Kressh, 28 BEA_

Trying not to curse, since she was out of breath already, Victoria called upon the Force to evade the charging giant beast again. She didn't know what Vodal or his servants had fed his favourite pet over the centuries, but the beast was colossal, had an especially sweet temper, and a huge appetite. Plus a marvellous foul breath, and a legion of spawns that were the living image of their mother. Or father. Or great-grandmother. Luckily, they were not yet as huge as their ancestor, and quite a lot of them wouldn't get the chance to continue growing – Fortis had made sure of that. The Sith warrior had already disposed of quite a number of the beasts, while she distracted the main monster, but there were still more of them.

Beheading one of the smaller beasts as she passed by, Victoria hurried more to the side of the open place, where ancient walls offered some form of protection from the beast's most vicious charges. Or so she thought; fortunately, Darth Ignus was fast enough to get away once more when the trice-damned spawn of Ardor's depths crashed right through the ancient stones. Shooting a healthy blast of Force lightning at its eyes again, with as much success as before, the young assassin was pretty sure that the old Sith ghost was personally protecting his prized guard dog.

Really wishing that she'd brought a nice frigate-type ship-to-ship torpedo or something, Victoria threw the last of her thermal detonators, but the beast wasn't stupid enough to just swallow it. The dust of the explosion bought her some seconds to breathe, though.

Bad move. Hit by something the inquisitor could only suppose was the beast's giant tail, Victoria found herself on the ground before the monster, caught helplessly under its claws. Enjoying a prime view of the perverted animal's uvula and molar teeth, the assassin tried to reach her lightsaber, but her favourite weapon had fallen somewhere out of reach.

Hells. Going down as a snack was not how the young Sith had envisioned her own end.

Shooting a last blast of lightning directly into the beast's roof of the mouth, the assassin suddenly felt movement in the Force. Something icy-cold brushed over her, visible not through lightning, but by a mere absence of light. Timed to coincide with her own attack, both Force projectiles merged and hit the monster's maw simultaneously. In contrast to her own futile attempts, the beast now jerked visibly. Even better, the young assassin felt a severe disturbance in the Force, as the ghostly shield faltered.

Unfortunately, Victoria was still pinned to the ground, and had no strength left in her for an immediate second try. Something else hit the beast again, but significantly weaker, and only under its chin; this Force blast just succeeded in angering the animal, making it roar and opening its jaws wide.

The inquisitor gave Fortis points for trying, though, as she stared into the ugly, scaly face of death.

Something else flew through the dry air of Athiss, a bright red gleam that hurt Victoria's eyes even in the split second that she saw it. Perfectly synchronized with the last movement of the beast, the object hit the open mouth of Vodal Kressh's pet, shattered whatever remnants of the spirit's Force shield might have been left, and vanished in the depths, enticing an otherworldly sound of purest anguish from the monster. Shocked, Victoria even thought that she'd heard a muffled explosion from within the beast's head. Cold engulfed the young Sith, and pulled her away before her enemy could crush her in its death throes.

When the inquisitor slowly and carefully got to her feet again, she was greeted by silence. None of the smaller beasts had survived, unless some of them had fled; the last group lay broken between the ruined stones, dead, twisted, but without noticeable wounds, in an uncanny resemblance of those unfortunate defenders back on the Brentaal Star. Fortis himself was on the ground, surrounded by visible darkness, meditating. If Victoria closed her eyes, which she didn't do long for fear of stumbling, she could feel his dark draw, as a master of the Force called upon his servant.

Making sure that nobody else was in the vicinity, the young Sith turned her gaze away, not wanting to violate the Darth's privacy. Instead she looked to the heap of meat, which had tried to consume her just minutes ago, and tried to suppress the tremor which started to infect her legs. The beast's maw had looked terrifying from below, and even from the side, it wasn't much better.

Victoria didn't know how long she'd stood there, all but transfixed at the sight and the clear knowledge of what could have been. Finally, she forced herself forwards, towards the broken beast's body, prayed that her legs were steady enough, and kicked it against its muzzle. And again. And again. She only stopped when she felt a movement through the Force behind her, closer and closer. The familiar cold told her that there was no danger, but the inquisitor still tried to regain her composure. By now she was shaking like a leaf.

"Victoria."

"Don't", the young assassin warned half-heartedly. "Do not do something stupid."

She knew that with her current level of control, which was basically non-existent, any sign of comfort was likely to set her off into a complete breakdown. And the last thing that Victoria needed now was another fit of nerves. Channelling the Force, which had returned to her during the last minutes, or perhaps even hour, the young Sith wrapped herself in a shell of flames, and realized too late that she hadn't even thought about employing one of her master's techniques to shield her mind.

Fortis, predictably, didn't even pause, and ignored the fiery warning altogether. Rightfully, though, since those flames were nothing but a simple image, unable to scorch a fly.

"Victoria. There is no dishonour in feeling fear."

Too close. Way too close again, at least if her pulse was any indication. Frozen in place, the assassin felt a wave of tension run through all her muscles. And when she felt the light touch at her shoulder that she had both anticipated and feared, Victoria lost it. She didn't know how, but the next thing she realized was that her forehead was pressed against a slightly dusty black pauldron, her nose squeezed itself between elements of a scratched chest piece full of claw marks, and her treacherous eyes seemed intend on making the rest of Fortis' armour rust in record time. Sobbing with abandon, the last of the young Sith's brain cells resigned to the fact that she couldn't have stopped even if she had wanted to try.

Finally, when she had stopped crying, albeit only due to a lack of tears, Victoria cleared her throat.

"I will have to kill you for being at the wrong place at the wrong time", she tried to threaten, but was aware that it would have been slightly more convincing if she hadn't still clinged to the black-armoured figure like a lifeline.

"Understandable", the Darth answered, dryer than the arid land around them, but with a shadow of emotion in his usual calm voice which Victoria couldn't place for the life of her. "But perhaps there is a compromise. Will a severe case of amnesia suffice?"

"Hmpf. Maybe. Possibly."

"Good. Where are we, what are we going to do, and what has happened?"

Not quite sure if she wanted to cry again, or to start laughing hysterically, the assassin decided to start reclaiming her dignity by making a face. Not that her companion could see it, but it was at least something. If Fortis started joking, the end of the universe was surely imminent.

"Too soon, nerf-brain. I have not even started to collect all my limbs from their current places."

There was a short pause.

"Nerf-brain?"

That made the hysterometer stop firmly on the 'laugh' side.

"Nerf-brain", the assassin confirmed, and finally succeeded in separating herself from the black figure again. She was never going to live the last minutes down.

"And about your questions from before… We are in an ugly, rubble-filled ruin. We are going to hurt a Sith spirit, kill this Sith spirit, and feed its ghostly remnants to the first Dashade that we meet. And what happened is very simple: We went to the children's zoo, and you got sloppy and lost your lightsaber."

Starting to shiver again at the memory, Victoria hoped that Fortis didn't see her face. With a small move of her hand, her own weapon returned to the young Sith, and the assassin turned the hilt in her hands.

"We might still be able to salvage something", she noted, and made one step towards the beast, while ignoring that her voice had become small during the last sentence. "Your saber should still be sticking within the beast's ugly head, after all, and with a little bit of luck…"

"Ignus, I did overcharge the weapon's blade on purpose. If Kressh wasn't able to stop it, the hilt exploded upon hitting an obstacle."

Nodding mutely, the young assassin remembered hearing an explosion, or at least believing to have heard a detonation. Her observation skills had been slightly impeded.

"And yet there might be something left", she argued, feeling a weird cold inside her. "I could at least check…"

"Victoria. It was a weapon, nothing more. A resource, to be used. And I did bring a replacement. Stop worrying about it."

That made the young assassin pause for a moment.

"You never thought of even touching another weapon, ever", she commented, eyebrow raised. But Fortis only tilted his head.

"Not true in the literal sense, but I see your meaning. I was also never begged by your master to refuse a mission, though, until Darth Serpentis called to inform me about Athiss. She desperately sought for an excuse to order you back, presumably due to something she saw in a vision. Therefore I decided to prepare for the worst. I would actually have ordered to just bombard the planet, but with Vodal Kressh's strength unknown, I didn't want to risk bringing potential host bodies within his reach. With this ruin's stone cover, you'd need at least a cruiser's main gun from orbit to make a noticeable impact."

Not really knowing what to answer, Victoria resolved to cut any and all followers of Vodal Kressh that she might encounter into a hundred little pieces.

* * *

 _Athiss, The Tomb of Kressh, 28 BEA_

While Athiss was unlikely to ever become a popular tourist destination, at least navigation and way-finding were trivial. The beast of Vodal Kressh had guarded the entrance to the tomb of Vodal Kressh, and after a long and boring descent, both Sith came face to face with the self-proclaimed prophet of Vodal Kressh. Victoria was confident that if she only searched long enough, she would also find the toothbrush of Vodal Kressh somewhere under the rubble. Perhaps next to the butter knife of Vodal Kressh, and remnants of the favourite cereals of Vodal Kressh.

This sorry semi-deserty excuse for a planet was in dire need of some serious de-Vodal-ization.

And when Vodal's prophet had the nerves to conjure some living flames out of thin air, the young assassin laughed in his twisted, red-eyed face.

"I am Darth Ignus, fool", she growled, while dissolving the fiery apparitions around them with a mere wink of her hand. "You are nothing but a whiny little toy match."

Including the stench of sulphur.

When the corrupted figure in front of them didn't get the hint, the inquisitor wrestled control of the next fire orb from him, and burned his robes with his own creation. The prophet, finally about to change his tactics, tried to hide himself with the Force, but since impressive clouds of black smoke betrayed his position, success of this manoeuvre was very limited. Fortis, never one to draw out a fight longer than necessary, finished Kressh's fanatic follower with an elegant strike of his replacement saber.

Glad that the danger was past, Victoria looked around curiously. No butter knife was visible, but the Cyclopean masonry around her made her shudder inwardly. This place was old, and had steeped in hatred for what felt like aeons. Somewhere deeper inside, the young assassin caught a glimpse of what must have been Vodal Kressh's last resting place. She didn't feel any incentive to check his coffin in detail, though. Perhaps it was the light of those creepy blue stone torches that burned with substances unknown, or simple exhaustion after the draining fight against the guardian beast outside, but the edges of her vision blurred slightly, and her head didn't feel so good all of a sudden.

"We should leave this place", the inquisitor murmured, and wondered where this sudden urge for fresh air and open spaces came from. Usually, crawling through ancient vaults didn't bother her in the slightest. But now, all her hairs were standing on edge, and there was an unrest within her she couldn't explain. Cold hit her, catching her flat-footed, and something very akin to dread filled her stomach.

And then, there was the sound. It wasn't something overly strange, or anything alien. On the contrary, it was a noise Victoria had heard hundreds of times before. Simply put, it was nothing more than the familiar hum of an igniting lightsaber.

Slowly turning on the spot, like a puppet following its strings, the young Sith moved, and while her brain refused to acknowledge what her eyes told it, the scene before her made the assassin's heart miss several beats. The path to freedom, to grass, trees, and sunlight, was blocked by a dark, looming figure, with nothing more than the brilliant red of a lightsaber blade and a distinct black outline being visible in the gloom. Any light remaining in the whole room seemed to grow darker, as the Force energy around the figure grew denser, more pronounced, concentrated. And the temperature of the air around her had dropped to those unbelievable lows which were only found in the darkest and emptiest corners of the motionless void of space.

"No. I will not allow it."

Victoria had spent enough time at Fortis' side to hear the Darth give orders, talk strategy, or threaten people. She had privately compared his voice to death bells, falling gravestones, or coffin lids, for he could easily scare the living Force out of anybody when in the right mood. But never before had she heard a tone such as this. If there was indeed a personification of death, in whatever mythology or religion, this was how it must sound like. And his aura… What Victoria felt now was still calm, but not his usual rationality and reason. This was more like the deadly quiet gulfs _beyond_ regular hatred, where nobody but the Emperor himself should ever sail.

Instinct took over, as a Force blast grazed her side, hard, only missing because the assassin had stumbled in pure shock. Her own saber jumped into her hands, glowing steadily with its red light, and the young Sith was able to deflect the next Force attack, albeit with difficulties. Her fingers felt all but frozen after close contact with the deadly energy. Victoria abandoned conscious thought, or the questions _why_ and _how_ , as the Darth closed in, his lethal blade blocking her sole escape route. Giving in to the pure wrath burning inside her, the young Sith deflected her former companion's strike, always looking for a chance to retaliate. Beside herself with rage and ire, Darth Ignus drew on the energies around her, called on the Force to burn any- and everything around her… and hesitated, as the red light of her weapon fell on the familiar outline of black heavy armour.

Too late. Cold struck her, full force, square into the chest, and as Victoria felt the pain of being hurled against stone, she screamed incoherently. Not so much from agony, but from anger, frustration, and realization of helplessness, for _even now_ , she still couldn't consciously hurt the warrior in front of her.

More cold. Impaired movement. Her limbs, not following her commands. Something in her throat, lung refusing work. Dark spots behind her eyes, impeding her vision. The last thing that Victoria could clearly identify was a black-armoured hand before her face, which was slowly balled into a fist.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, Intensive Care Section, 28 BEA_

"Prepare the kolto tank. Orders from her master; vitals may appear stable now, but we are to take no risks."

"No. I can sense her waking up. She needs to know what happened, and why, or the collateral damage may be immeasurable."

Voices. One unknown, one known. Familiar sounds, an ally…

Memory. Images. Red light on black armour. Cold.

Dread.

Victoria shot up, or at least tried to do so, but discovered that her limbs were made of lead. Not a good feeling. She was seriously considering beating her forehead against the next surface for a moment to knock herself out again, because her head hurt like something the assassin hadn't even words for, and her stomach lurched painfully.

"Bucket!"

The first voice, again. Smell of antiseptics. A doctor? If it was not a very, very fast doctor, his efforts would be in vain, her sole working brain cell supplied, for she already tasted bile.

Cool Force energy around her. Not deadly cold. Something at her cheek, holding her hair back. Another touch at her side, her back, supporting her. Both hard to the touch, cold on bare skin. Armour? An object before her. A large bowl?

Well, even if not, it wasn't as if the young Sith had any control over her body right at this moment. Or any kind of choice. The assassin did what her intestines told her to, and, after it was done, she noticed that her whole body had started to shiver. A glass of water had found its way into her unsteady hands, and Victoria rinsed her mouth without giving the danger of poisons so much as a second thought. Right now, she was all but helpless, anyway – nobody would need tricks to hurt her.

Where in the galaxy was she? What in the Emperor's name had happened? And why, by all Corellian and Chandrilan Hells combined, was she only wearing her basic military-grade _underwear_?

Neurons started to work again, and even some of her muscles stopped their rebellion. Drawing a curtain of scorching flames around her, and smelling biting smoke from what had likely been a medical bed as a consequence, Darth Ignus readied herself for a rematch…

… only to stop again, as armoured hands closed around her wrists.

"Leave, doctor. I might not be able to contain her whole power."

Staring into the black mask that had haunted her dreams as well as recent nightmares, the young Sith was vaguely aware of the sound of fast footsteps and, subsequently, the soft noise of a closing door.

Tension rose in Victoria's muscles, but Fortis was observant enough to release her before she could snap his forearms. Still, he was simply _there_ , and close, which was enough to keep the young Sith's nerves beyond common reason. Where was her lightsaber, where were her droids…

A sigh sounded through the room, amazingly loud in the relative silence. Just moments later, Victoria felt a brush of something cool again, as there was movement in the Force, and her weapon appeared before her eyes. Grasping its hilt like a drowning man a straw, the assassin finally felt her brain start to work properly, and rationality reintroduced itself to the mess that were her thoughts.

If Fortis wanted her dead, she would be. Not only once, not twice, but twenty times in a row. Which meant that there was another game he was playing.

"Victoria."

Shielding herself with the Force, the young inquisitor brought up all mental barriers that she had. It was bad enough that she was sitting here without her armour, without having the slightest idea of what was going on, and with a feeling in her body as if all Jurgorans of Dromund Kaas had trampled over, above, and through herself. What she definitively did _not_ need right now was therefore a replay of that After-Vodal's-Beast moment on Athiss, despite of the fact that parts of her brain were strongly opting for it.

Other parts of her conscious thought voted for just killing the black-armoured bucket-head and being done with the whole mess, but those were overruled by yet another section of her mind, which noted that 'kill' was boring, but that switching two letters of that word might yield far more interesting results.

And the last brain cell reminded her again that she was sitting here without any clothing to speak of, directly in front of a certain somebody, in what was quite a detailed replay of the start of some of her dream sequences. Nightmares, of course. Terrible nightmares. Which was sufficient to give her goose bumps. The inquisitor tried to convince herself that it was due to the cold.

"Speak, and make it good", Victoria all but ordered, and was proud that her voice sounded exactly right. Calm, controlled, cold. She was even confident that her face didn't betray the turmoil within her.

Still, when it came to calm, control, and cold, she was talking to a grandmaster.

"Vodal Kressh's spirit tried to possess you in his tomb on Athiss", Fortis answered, and his voice was so serene as if he was doing nothing more than reading the weather forecast for Kaas City. Which would have equalled 'rain and thunderstorms', no matter the time or season, but that wasn't important now.

"You might still remember some hints of foreign emotions, like a strong wish to escape the place, or additional hatred burning inside you."

The need to see the sunlight. Yearning to touch a simple tree. Yes, Victoria remembered. She also remembered the headache, and the strange mist before her eyes. Insidious Sith ghost…

"And then?"

The black-armoured figure before her shrugged slightly.

"I did convince him that hiding within your body was unhealthy."

"Meaning?"

Victoria felt the full attention of the Darth before her again. Since she knew him well, she'd bet anything that he was calculating the likelihood of an attack, and preparing some form of battle strategy.

"After throwing you against the stone wall and creating significant trauma to your spine and kidneys, not to mention several ruptured blood vessels and broken ribs, I did create second- and third-degree burns to your upper body by another Force attack that might have escaped your notice", Fortis answered in a textbook-style clinical matter-of-fact tone. "Employing a Force choke on you and allowing the oxygen level in your blood sink to near-lethal levels finally convinced Vodal Kressh that you had no chance to win the fight, and that I was going to kill you, which forced his ghost into the open in an all-or-nothing attack to preserve his spirit. Confronting the desperate being purely through the Force was difficult, but since Kressh's efforts to protect his beast and to possess you had weakened him significantly, I managed to overpower and destroy the rest of his remaining self through a Force ritual. Since I did not have enough strength left to heal your wounds immediately, I used what kolto was left to stabilize you while calling the shuttles to a spot closer to the tomb. Medical stasis kept your injuries from worsening, until kolto, Force healing on our way back, and finally the efforts of your master did succeed in curing most of your ailments."

Not really able to decide whether the list itself or the tone in which Fortis recited it was worse, the assassin finally judged that the worst part by far was the simple fact that she agreed with his course of action. Carefully, she put her lightsaber away, as those parts of her brain that had opted for killing her companion shuffled away to go hiding in a mental wardrobe or something. Levels of tension in the room sank for a second, until the young Sith remembered that this left those parts of her mind online which had opted for hugging or ki… _kicking_ the blasted black briquette. And that sole brain cell that reminded her again of her definitely _unsatisfactory_ state of clothing.

Fortis, who had very likely monitored her stress levels during their conversation, seemed to recognize that the main danger was past. Victoria saw him press some buttons on a datapad, and just seconds later, three people in the uniform of Imperial medics entered the room. One started to prepare a kolto tank, while the remaining two busied themselves with scanning her vital functions. Still, there were some open questions left.

"Why did Kressh need me? Why not simply possess his devoted servant?" the assassin asked, wondering what she had missed. But Fortis just nodded.

"His servant was Force-blind. All his strength came from Kressh himself. But without an additional source of Force power, the Sith Lord's spirit couldn't have left the direct vicinity of his resting place. Too much of his energy was already spent in controlling his servants and beasts around his tomb."

Well, good thing that Fortis had been observant enough to detect the ghost's presence. Playing a helpless taxi for a creepy old ghostly pestilence was no way Victoria wanted her own life to end, either.

"I see", the inquisitor conceded, and didn't fight back when the two medics helped her up and directed her towards the kolto tank. "Just out of interest, though: Why did Kressh leave my body while I was still alive?"

It was a simple question, really, and Victoria already suspected that the trauma of experiencing death again would have severely weakened the spirit. Therefore she was slightly surprised that Fortis, who had finally moved towards the door, stopped his movements. When she was not mistaken, he had also clenched his fists. But since both of them still took care to keep their Force shields up, the young inquisitor sensed nothing.

"He had bound himself to you", the black armoured Darth finally answered, completely calm, and continued towards the exit. "In that state, killing you would have meant the end for him as well."

Leaning against the back wall of the kolto tank, and watching the first and lowest segment of its front part close, Victoria felt the first small wave of kolto touch the skin of her feet. She grasped the tank's oxygen mask, but didn't put it on at once.

"So why not simply kill me?" she asked, honestly confused. "It sounds like you took quite a risk when you gave Vodal the chance to fight in spirit form, and while your strategy of inflicting near-lethal harm on me was sufficient to fool Kressh, I'm perfectly aware that you could have just used your lightsaber or Force powers to annihilate both the ghost and me before that."

There was… something in the Force that she sensed, but the young Sith wasn't able to place the emotions over the chaos in her own mind.

Having already reached the door, Fortis hesitated again, as if he was searching for words. Which was highly non-typical for the Sith warrior.

"I thought that this was obvious", he stated, still calmly, but at the same time evasively, and that was really not like the self-confident Darth that she knew at all.

Oh. Right. She remembered something. He probably just didn't want to provoke her again. Kolto tanks were expensive.

"All right, save your breath", Victoria sighed, in a mix of sudden disappointment, and relief that everything was normal, rational, _logical_ again. "I recall what you said about the Chiss, and it's not that different in this case. You did not want the Empire to lose a useful resource."

For the Empire. Hooray.

The second segment of the kolto tank's front part closed, and the assassin felt the water-like substance rise towards her knees and higher. Finally putting the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, the young Sith was actually looking forward to sleep for some hours, while floating in the healing liquid. Fortis, though, was still standing in the door, motionless, as if something was holding him in place.

"No", the black-armoured Darth eventually stated, while finally lowering his mental shields that had blocked the Force bond between them, and his voice was calm, firm, and so clear that there was no room left for any misunderstanding. "I did not want to lose you."

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for the review! Hopefully, this update does not impede any night rest ;) As usual, thanks again to all those who are reading this.

On a side note: 21 chapters of 42 planned ones means that the characters are half-way through their respective chaotic episodes.


	22. Anarchy in Paradise

_Odessen, Fury, 5 AEA_

Raven awakened. This was not unusual in itself, yet it marked a rare occasion nonetheless – the young Sith wasn't shaken into action by a sudden alarm, didn't leave the realm of dreams due to lingering pain of some injury or another, and wasn't called up by any friend or ally who had a random problem of some sorts. She just woke up because she'd slept enough.

Slowly, without any hectic, Darth Imperius tried to get a feeling for her surroundings. Leaving her eyes closed, she felt warmth, both physical and through the Force. The energies surrounding her were calm, though, unperturbed. No foreshadowing danger clouded her mind's eye. Her body reported more varied sensations; her own military-grade blanket scratched slightly on her skin, and her limbs appeared to be a bit sore in unfamiliar places. Muscles were complaining, too, as soon as she tried to move, so the young assassin simply decided to remain in the comfortable place she had found herself in. There were sounds as well, first and foremost the well-known soft hum of her favourite star ship's life support systems, and then another noise, hardly louder. Quiet breathing, close to her left side. And more warmth, from the same position. Her nose agreed that everything was safe and homey, but added a small hint that she might have to consider changing the bed sheets later.

Stupid organs of perception and their mood-killing feedback…

Yawning silently, Raven finally opened her eyes. The Fury's internal lighting system was still simulating night-mode, but it wasn't pitch-black darkness. Twilight allowed her to see contours, if not colours, and she smiled softly at the sight of tousled hair on the pillow next to her. Privately, the inquisitor had always wondered what it'd take to see Theron's hair cut tangled. Neither getting tortured by his mad ancestor nor getting thrown around by a world-eater on a doomed planet had been sufficient, but finally, his hair gel had found a challenge it couldn't overcome. Raven carefully stretched out a hand to play with a stray strand, but sensed movement as soon as she came near. The agent's reflexes were well-trained, but his mind was fast as well; just a split second after he had tensed, the ex-Republic spy relaxed again, having both recognized his surroundings and the fact that there was no danger. Eyes blinked in the darkness, shimmering with the reflected lights of some controls at her console, and the young Sith saw a smile spread over his features that mirrored her own.

"Hey there", the agent greeted, still sounding a bit dizzy from sleep, and Raven felt a light touch, as his own hand found her searching fingers. "How are you feeling?"

"Warm. Content. Slightly hungry, to be honest, and a shower might be a good idea as well", the inquisitor answered, and cursed her practical mind afterwards. It seemed that romantic pillow talk wasn't one of her strengths. "Wait. Or was that the polite way to ask for an appraisal of your performance last night?"

Ouch. Cringing inwardly, Raven bit her tongue, as those brain cells associated with tact finally woke up as well and kicked the rest of her thoughts for bluntness. But Theron only chuckled.

"Might as well. So, what's the verdict, my lord?"

Hints of a smirk. Amusement, clearly audible in his tone, and nearly tangible through the Force. And he had the gall to use a title, relatively outdated as it might be. That simply deserved some form of punishment. Raven squinted her eyes in mock indignation, waited two seconds to increase suspense, and then used her best stuck-up snooty Dark Councillor voice to enact revenge.

"All in all… perfectly average, I'd say", she all but yawned, and started to snicker when the agent twitched.

 _Got you there._

"Yeah, okay, I deserved that", Theron grumbled half-heartedly, and shut her up in a more elegant way. When they finally parted for air, Raven couldn't help herself and began to chuckle again.

"That was the nicer one of two possible answers, so stop complaining", she finally pressed out. "I wonder how you'd have reacted if I had told you that it was the most terrible and awful encounter of that kind that I've ever had."

Even now, in the darkness of her quarters, Raven saw that the agent was making a face.

"I would certainly have been thrilled", he answered, and twitched again. "Wait. That sounded just a little bit too serious. Is something wrong, Raven?"

Blast it. Truly worrying her companion wasn't what the young Sith had had in mind.

"Relax, dear. I do believe that the sheets were the only casualty here", she answered, and allowed the warmth that she was feeling to fill her voice. "That keen agent memory of yours is still asleep, though. I did tell you that I had no experience with these _Balkar business_ things, didn't I?"

Finally, the inquisitor sensed understanding, and felt a hand ruffle through her own hair.

"Right. So it was a perfectly average and the absolute worst… encounter… at the same time. But also the very best, if my logic is sound."

Snorting with laughter, Raven stole his pillow.

"Glad to see that your self-confidence hasn't suffered. Yes, I could have told you that one, too. But it would have rendered my punch line obsolete. If it was the best encounter, I wouldn't have much reason to ask you for a second try, right?"

Never underestimate the agility of spies. Even before the young Sith had finished her sentence, she felt her hands caught in a firm grasp, and heard Theron's voice from somewhere close to her ear.

"You. Are. One. Insidious. Sneaky. Sith", he countered, and found another task for his lips between his words. Laughing again, but a tad breathlessly, Raven did her best to get some payback.

"Former Dark Council", she finally retorted. "Still a Darth. And I might yet overthrow Acina in the future. You sure that teasing such a terrifying Lord of the Sith is a wise idea, Agent Shan?"

The look on Theron's face was now positively evil, at least from what Raven could see.

"Didn't sound so terrifying last night", he answered, and shut her up again before the young inquisitor could think of a clever retort. "I might have to refresh my 'keen agent memory', though."

* * *

After what felt like hours, Raven finally surrendered to the necessities of regular life, and waved her hand to activate normal lighting again. She didn't really want to get up, but both Theron's and her stomach were growling audibly. Still…

"Two times is way too little to form an unbiased opinion, or to evaluate possible improvements, don't you think?" the young Sith asked, and grinned when Theron, who had been in the process of slowly getting up, collapsed on the bed again, groaning.

"I might be willing in theory, but I'm afraid you're severely underestimating the endurance issue here, dearest", the agent reminded her, and started to rearrange his limbs again. "What about a shower instead, and then some breakfast at the base?"

Coughing slightly, Raven followed his movements with her gaze.

"Not a bad idea, but I would suggest squeezing some time in between to get dressed. I do appreciate the current view, very much, but I'm not that keen on sharing it with the rest of the Alliance."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, Kitchen, 5 AEA_

Finally feeling representable, both the Sith and the agent reached the base's kitchen without any issues. Raven was just pouring a generous amount of nerf milk into a cup, as the door opened again, and Lana entered. The blonde Sith Lord seemed to be quite the opposite of amused.

"Finally, there you are", she complained, and squinted her eyes ominously. "My alarm clock woke me very early, so that I could prepare the scheduled meeting. Yes, that security meeting to which nobody else but me did attend. And when I searched the base, nobody from the scheduled participants but me was in sight anywhere. I finally found Koth in the medbay, getting treatment for his stomach due to too much gorak sauce. Our esteemed Barsen'thor threw me into a wall for waking her from what must have been quite a hangover, at least if the bottles around her were any indication. I haven't found a trace of Senya yet, and I couldn't reach either Andronikos nor Ashara, because they somehow managed to have your old protocol droid and your functional HK model stand guard before their respective quarters. _Armed_. Is there no one with any trace of responsibility left on this whole planet?"

Theron, sneaky agent that he was, had somehow managed to disappear during the sorceress' rant, and was now sitting safely away at one of the tables. Raven resolved to have a word with him about abandoning allies in dire distress later. In the meantime, though, she just took a sip of her milk and then looked at the other Sith over the rim of her cup.

"In case you forgot, you all but forced me to play leader of this Alliance", the assassin reminded Beniko gently. "And I hereby order this meeting to be adjourned."

Patting her friend on the back lightly, Raven smiled a content smile. "We threw a wonderful party last night, and we definitely earned it after everything that happened. Get some sleep, Lana, and some breakfast, or the other way around. We can continue saving the galaxy tomorrow."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, Garden, 5 AEA_

After a peaceful and relaxing day of doing mostly nothing, Raven found herself arm in arm with Theron, and sitting on one of the benches outside the main base. Odessen was really beautiful, and the young Sith could still feel the echoes of warmth, of safety, which she'd sensed when she'd first seen the planet. Whatever dark hints Lea had noticed, the inquisitor felt no trace of it. She had only seen her sister twice during the day, once carrying some headache pills, and then again for dinner. The Barsen'thor had been looking slightly better during the meal, but was still noticeably impaired from what must have been quite a night in her case as well; her sister didn't even comment on her and Theron sharing the same dessert and the same spoon, and just wobbled back to her quarters to recuperate some more. Or to sober up.

Yawning, Raven stretched, and looked into the spectacular sunset.

"It's great to have you back, Theron", she murmured. "And not just for the obvious benefits. It means much to have somebody I can completely trust at my side."

Smiling at the affirmative humming that she got, the young Sith allowed her head to rest on the agent's shoulders.

It really was the same old jacket from Yavin 4. Her cheek definitely remembered the feeling.

"Same here. It feels good to have some place to call home again."

Perking up, Raven turned her head.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really not complaining, but why did you leave the Republic?"

They had avoided to speak about this particular issue until now, but somehow, the young Sith felt that it was time to do so. Sighing, Theron drew her closer to his side.

"Yeah… we should probably talk about it. With the way everything changed, the SIS didn't feel right for me any more, so I walked away. Kept up with my contacts, pretty much did what I was already doing, just not for the Republic. Not for anything. Against Zakuul."

Nodding, the inquisitor grasped his hand, trying to fight the cold that this last word conjured. The gap of five years which their recent time together had only masked, but not erased... But there was something else, something connected to another concern...

"What about your mother?"

Raven didn't want to ask directly about Lea's and her worry, but Theron seemed to sense her mood.

"The Grandmaster? Well, the Jedi Order got scattered, plucked apart, and she decided to… go somewhere", he confessed quietly, and the young Sith felt his own trouble at that thought. "Didn't say where. No one's heard from her, far as I know."

Theron sighed, and it wasn't a content one. Just a sound that told her he couldn't do anything about that particular issue now, and that he knew it.

"And I guess Lana's filled you in on the rest. Want you to know, I'll do everything I can to keep things running smoothly around here."

Trying for some levity again, Raven pressed his hand gently.

"I don't doubt it, Theron. But would it be too forward from me to expect some form of, say, preferred personal treatment?"

The young Darth was glad to see her companion smile at her words.

"I think that could be arranged…"

Theron sighed again, but this time, it sounded happier.

"Seriously, though… You got all these people to rally behind you. That was the hard part. What do you say we stay here for a while, and then go back to the Fury? I could get used to some form of security against… interruptions… during the night. And I do seem to remember a certain challenge. What's the minimum sample size for you to consider calling a possible improvement during any… _activities_ … as significant?"

Rolling her eyes, Raven tried to have her eyebrows climb new heights.

"Does the SIS really believe statistical power analyses are good choices for flirting? Wait. That might actually explain the current state of the Republic…"

"Hey!"

Trying for an innocent smile and failing, the inquisitor closed the small remaining distance between them.

"Well, let's try one thousand for a start. Should be doable in, say, a year or less, right? I'm sure there's a model somewhere that fits those values."

Feeling Theron's chest tremble under her arm, the young Sith wasn't surprised when he finally burst into laughter.

"I just knew it as soon as I saw you back there on Manaan – you'll be the death of me…"

Very satisfied that she'd succeeded in scaring the darker shadows of memory and worries away, Raven pressed a small kiss onto the agent's cheek.

"Exactly. But since decapitation and evisceration are boring, I'm going for exhaustion now."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, Meeting Rooms, 5 AEA_

The next morning, Raven somehow managed to get up before the scheduled meeting, and both she and Theron even managed to grasp some small excuse for breakfast on their way to the conference room. Neither of them dared to annoy Lana a second time. When they entered, however, they noticed that they were not the first. Lea was sitting somewhere at the back of the room, head down on the desk plate, snoring again. Koth was already there, too, and had obviously tried to defend himself from the blonde Sith's schedule-defending coordinator wrath.

"Lana, I have a confession to make. I tried the roast gorak."

Yellow eyes squinted. Not a good sign.

"What? That's your excuse? When did you even have time?"

"I tried it, at the party, and I didn't love it, but the sauce had this zing to it? I really, I really wish I had some more…"

Raven was suddenly very glad that she hadn't eaten anything from the buffet. An addiction to some weird spicy stuff out of some Corellian Hell or another wasn't something that she needed right now.

Next to her, Theron scratched his head.

"Looks like things are just heating up again..."

Turning, Lana's yellow eyes now stared at the Republic agent, but then the Sith just shrugged and turned to Raven.

"Len and Tora got into yet another drinking contest. It ended… poorly. Like the first. And the second."

Huh. That explained why Raven hadn't seen either of them during the last day. Koth, however, suddenly seemed to remember something else.

"Hey, have you seen Senya? Has anyone seen Senya?"

Rising panic coloured the Zakuulan renegade's voice, but Lana was quick to intervene.

"Koth, she's not hunting you any more", the Sith Lord commented calmly. "You're going to have to trust her eventually."

And that wasn't even the most important point.

"She fought her own daughter", Raven added, and was glad to see that Koth started to relax again.

"I know. I hear you…"

Shaking his head, the captain grimaced, expression painful. "Crew needs to be back to work in an hour. That should be fun."

"And we still need to do this security meeting here…"

At least Theron had a working memory. Raven smiled fondly, and so did Lana. Due to other reasons, though.

"Reminds me of my advisor days", the blonde Sith commented, and looked downright nostalgic for a second. The young assassin, however, thought about the future. And what she saw right in this moment, all the different faces around her, gave her hope. So she cleared her throat.

"Thanks. All of you. It means a lot that you're here."

Lana's smile got wider.

"Likewise… 'Outlander'."

Somewhere next to her, Koth was back in commander mode...

"Tora! Len! Up with you, you miserable lightweights!"

… but wasn't that successful. Len didn't react in any noticeable way, and Tora just managed to lift her head for a second.

"Ugh. Shut up!"

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, Balcony, 5 AEA_

After surviving the meeting and Lana's talk on security measures, Raven finally collected her guts, and started to search for Senya. She felt the aura of the knight, but couldn't quite place the emotions that radiated from her. Just that their intensity was powerful.

In the end, the young Sith found her ally, standing at one of the base's balconies, and looking into the distance. The older woman didn't turn, but Raven knew that she had felt her own approach, just as the assassin had sensed her presence in the first place.

After some time of silence, it was Senya who started to speak.

"It's impressive, you know", the former knight commented calmly. "People from all over the galaxy want to stand behind you."

Scratching her head, the inquisitor wondered if that was Senya's way of telling her that she didn't want to speak about whatever it was that was troubling her. Still, if the warrior had really wanted reclusion, she could have avoided the Sith easily once she had noticed her own approaching presence.

"That can't be what you were out here contemplating."

Finally looking towards the younger woman, the Zakuulan elite fighter caught Raven with her blue-grey x-ray eyes.

"It is, in a way", she answered, slowly. "I was thinking how so many Scions followed Heskal. He would have them die as he did because their deaths were foreseen. Their visions provide great insight, but they're not infallible."

Odessen's climate was of a pleasant warmth, yet at these words, the young assassin started to shudder. Visions. _Destiny_. The whole concept was wrong, on so many levels. And so many fools still followed that doctrine, and even more poor souls had to suffer for it.

"Reminds me of the Heralds of Zildrog", she commented, trying to overplay her concern and discomposure, but a glance in those all-seeing eyes told her that she could have saved herself the trouble. But Senya didn't press the issue.

"There's another leader who paid for his certainty", the knight agreed, and looked into the distance again. If Raven was not mistaken, her shoulders started to shake slightly.

"Say what you will about Valkorion, but he at least considered the viewpoints of others", the warrior continued, and the inquisitor noticed some cracks in her voice. "He listened to me. Most of the time."

Hesitation. Another pause. Raven took one step closer to her new friend.

"He didn't – he would never have done what – what Arcann…"

Pain. Clearly radiating now. The young inquisitor took another careful step that brought her directly next to the older woman.

"What is it?" she whispered, and somehow dreaded the answer.

Squaring her shoulders, Senya grasped the railing before her tightly. But the thin metal was no defence against memory.

"I told you before that Arcann had a brother, Thexan", the knight continued quietly, and suddenly, Raven didn't need any Force vision to have an idea about what was to come. Grief was now flowing freely from the person next to her. Grief, and pain. "They were inseparable until his death. Vaylin told me, during our fight… Arcann murdered Thexan."

Drawing what seemed to be a failed attempt at a steadying breath, Senya visibly struggled with her words. "His own brother. Maybe if I had raised him…"

Her voice cracked again, and broke, and the young assassin didn't know what to do, other than grasping the knight's hand in silent comfort. After a while, though, her curiosity won.

"Your fight with Vaylin – what happened?" the young Darth asked, and hoped that the question wasn't too obtrusive. The other woman didn't seem to mind it, though.

"What she had to say, it struck me down to my core. Paralysed me", Senya whispered, voice so quiet that Raven had to concentrate to understand her. "She slipped away…"

Regaining some of her composure, the Zakuulan warrior turned back to her, and Raven stared once again into the x-ray eyes."Now, more than ever, I realise my children must be stopped and that I have to make peace with the choices I've made. Whatever you've done to get here, I hope you can do the same."

Pressing the assassin's hand, once, Senya released her from her gaze, and walked away, seeking solitude once more. The young Sith remained there, on the balcony, and wondered if there were any words of comfort that were appropriate. If they did exist, the inquisitor couldn't find them.

"She raises a good question. How do you look back on your path to this moment?"

Swallowing the ice in her throat, and trying to stop her teeth from grinding themselves to dust at Vitiate's ghostly intrusion, Raven felt her facial muscles adopt an expression of pure animosity.

"You're in my head", she hissed, and didn't even try to mask her contempt. "Why don't you take a look for yourself?"

Patronizing patience. Again. Regal royal righteousness. Again. Predictable.

"And what good would that do our alliance?"

Enough. Raven didn't even flinch at the utter presumptuousness with which the ghostly monster before her used the word 'alliance', and pushed her disgust away. If the former Sith Emperor wanted to draw her further to the dark side, he would have to work a little harder.

Grasping at the Force that surrounded her, and dipping deep into the compassion that she had just felt for her companion, the young Darth drew a curtain of golden light around her mind and body, and left the menacing phantom out there, alone, in the cold that his very presence had created.

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, War Room, 5 AEA_

With more meetings on her hand, and way more messages than Raven ever wanted to read, the day went by very quickly. When the young assassin entered the war room following an invite from Lana, however, she was astonished to see many faces there. Apparently, her Sith Lord friend had invited the whole Alliance.

"What is all this?" the inquisitor asked, and hoped that no new catastrophe was closing in.

But her friend just smiled, and Raven noticed a certain twinkle in her yellow eyes.

"It's your first official speech as Alliance Commander."

Oh, sneaky little sorceress...

"Wait, just because I re-scheduled that meeting?" the young Darth complained. "When was that decided without my having any say whatsoever?"

Completely and utterly unperturbed, Lana just shrugged.

"It was never decided. There was no vote. No meetings, no debates. It's simply the way it is. The way it had been since the day you arrived. Everyone knows it. It's just… official now."

Growling, Raven made a face at her friend, and then another at Theron, who had nothing better to do than standing there and grin. Sadly, the Sith seemed to be right – not one person in the whole room started to protest.

"I thought you hated titles", she reminded her friend, but only earned a rising eyebrow.

"I hate having one, but I do love granting them", Beniko countered, but got serious again in a second. "They're looking to you to guide them to greatness as only you can. Take them there."

And here we go again. Wondering whether there was some form of contract that forced her to give a certain number of motivation speeches per week, Raven cleared her throat, and searched desperately for inspiration. Where to begin...

"Followers of the Republic, of the Empire. My friends. This war has brought us pain, and suffering, and loss. All of us here, we know about loss, have experienced it ourselves. We've lost loved ones, friends. Years of our live, no matter if to carbonite or war. We've been beaten down time and again. Our lives have been taken from us. It almost feels like our _destiny_."

Raven knew that she had spit out that last word, and tried to continue in a more normal voice.

"But this war has also brought us together, as soldiers, comrades, _friends_. Not one of you has given up. You've stuck it out through your losses. You've come together to build, to create, to fight – and I appreciate each and every one of you. Working together, the galaxy won't have to live under the threat of a tyrant. This bond between us, our shared will to fight, or friendship, is something Arcann will never understand. It can't be broken or destroyed. It is stronger than any weapon, more powerful than any ship or fleet. Together, we will remove the tyrant from the throne. Together, we will prevail! May the Force be with us, and serve us to reach our goals."

Watching the different faces before them, including her long-time friends Ashara and Andronikos, Raven started to believe her own words when everybody started to applaud. When she tried to leave the room, though, the young assassin was stopped by her Jedi sister. Lea was looking way better again, her inherited poison resistance finally winning against whatever quantities of questionable origin the Barsen'thor had consumed at the party.

"First speech as our leader, and you already use quotes from old books?" the golden-haired warrior teased. "We should hire a professional writer for you, otherwise this might get embarrassing fast."

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Raven made a face at her sister.

"If I had gotten a small warning that I would be forced to give a speech, I might have prepared something more unique. Besides, those were only parts, and it was an emergency, so I don't feel too bad about plagiarism for once. Anyway, all those light-side paragon addresses are pretty interchangeable with each other. Just be sure to start with some stuff about the challenging presence and hopes for the future, put emphasis on the value of camaraderie, and finally close with an appropriate encouragement, and nobody complains. Usually."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, 5 AEA_

Some days passed, and Raven finally got the feeling that their Alliance was making progress. More people had joined them, both from the Republic and the Empire, and those that had been with them longer started to work well together. But what brightened the young assassin's mood considerably, in addition to the presence of a certain spy, of course, was Dr. Oggurobb's success in reconstructing HK-55. The droid had suffered some memory loss, but the central part of his memory processor had been salvageable – Arcann's Force blast had mainly fried his chassis, and both metal as well as circuits down there were replaceable. Glad to have both HK units that she'd ever met back at her side, the assassin ran some training scenarios with both of them, until she was sure that neither time nor reconstruction had meddled with their programmed priorities and moral constraints.

And when another message came in, and the inquisitor suddenly stared into the faces of her former apprentices Kaal and Corrin, who had both survived the last years and were eager to join her again, Raven could have hugged the whole universe.

With three noticeable exceptions, though. Neither Vitiate nor his two surviving children were anywhere near the top of her personal 'embrace this person' list.

Now, if only Talos Drellik appeared out of nowhere, with Khem Val in tow, and both had a captured Arcann and Vaylin trudging behind them, then the young inquisitor would for the first time in her life be inclined to accept a mysterious 'destiny' for a single moment.

* * *

Staring into her bowl, and deciding that it was probably for the best not to ask what these violet squishy things swimming in the stew were supposed to be, Raven closed her eyes and gulped without chewing, praying to no one in particular that those objects were just vegetables. Preferably non-poisonous ones. She trusted the Zakuulan exiles, who had made themselves irreplaceable as cooks and handymen, but right now, she'd just have preferred a ration bar. Lunch was not supposed to be a task rivalling a Sith trial, but she didn't want to upset those people by refusing the meal.

Perhaps it truly was her stomach, or just the fact that she had stared into a slightly moving bowl of soup for too long, but suddenly, Raven felt kind of light-headed. She put down the piece of dinnerware in time to prevent a major mess, as there was a feeling of cold air around her whole body, and she sensed some form of pull at her thoughts that her mind followed instinctively without even questioning it. Blinking, the young assassin didn't look at the opposite wall of the Alliance base's mess hall any more, but stared at familiar leaves. Trees. And a sky that was still somewhat blue, even during twilight, but had an ominous purple-red shadow lurking in it. The gas giant Yavin wasn't that dangerous, though, at least if one compared it with those things that lurked in the valleys and forests of its fourth moon.

A vision? But why now? What was happening on the moon? And what about that pull she'd sensed? It had felt more like a communication attempt through the Force, and not one of those random Force mirages that had brought doom to more than just one Jedi or Sith…

"Ensign? Don't forget to adjust the sensors! The Massassi are the masters of this jungle, and we need every kind of security that we can get during the night."

Hit by these few words harder than by a rampaging Massassi warrior, Raven tried to turn and jump, to somehow reach her long-lost archaeologist friend, for none other than Talos Drellik, her faithful companion and healer during her time of war against Darth Thanaton, had spoken those sentences. For a moment, she even got her wish, as the vision placed her nearer and nearer to the Imperial group, as if she really was approaching her friend. Trying to call, to contact the former lieutenant proved to be impossible, though. And then Raven felt her heart freeze, as her point of view changed against her will, and showed her movements in the darkness. Scaly hide, dark brown in the fading light instead of its usual red. The wild Sith creatures had already found and surrounded the scientist's group.

Cold surrounded her, again, but for some reason the inquisitor got the impression that it wasn't only her own mind's fear that had her hairs stand on end. More movement, glowing eyes in the darkness. But, at the same time… hesitation?

Raven had fought many of those red-skinned warriors, but none of them had ever refused to press an attack. These ones, though… they retreated. There was movement in the shadows again, and finally, when just the leaves remained, the young Sith could breathe again.

"Affirmative, Commander Drellik. Sensors online, no Massassi activity in the vicinity. Droid support is powering up as well, and the turrets will be active in three… two… one… now. Camp is as secure as it will ever get on this rock."

Raven didn't recognize the current speaker, but hoped that he knew what he was doing. There were some more guards, mostly human, and more people who wore the colours of the Imperial Reclamation Service, but even with their blasters, they wouldn't have stood a chance against the savage horde that she believed to have seen during those nightmarish seconds.

A vision inside a vision? This first vision, or whatever it was, got more creepy by the second.

But before panic could engulf her mind, the young inquisitor felt movement again, this time through the Force. A cool draught of air played around her again, making her close her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them once more, she looked into a pair of worried brown eyes that was located directly in front of her.

"What is it? Are you okay, Raven?" Theron asked, and the young Sith didn't really know what to answer.

"Sort of", she finally answered. "I just had a vision that I didn't particularly like. Give the order to ready the Fury for space flight, please. I really need to get to Yavin 4, but the Gravestone should stay here for further analyses, and to defend the base, if the worst comes to pass."

Lines of worry still played around the agent's face, but finally, Theron nodded.

"It will take some time to refuel and stock up provisions for such a journey", he remarked. "Enough time for that other meeting I told you about this morning, at least if you are feeling well enough. Or do you need to go to the medbay?"

Raven bit her lips and cursed inwardly. She'd all but forgotten that Theron had told her about possible allies, and that they needed to talk strategy on how to win them over to their cause.

"No, I'm feeling fine", she answered, and it wasn't even a lie. "Lead the way. I'm aware that finding more like-minded people is important for our goals."

* * *

Looking through the briefing room, Raven was glad to see all the familiar faces around her. Lana, Lea, Senya, Koth, Ashara, Andronikos… Even SCORPIO had joined their meeting. The young Sith was still a bit shaken by the things she'd seen on Yavin 4, or at least that she believed to have seen. No allied ship was even close to this moon, though. Any help would have to be provided with their resources from Odessen, and the inquisitor didn't even have a working holo frequency to call her friend and warn him to stay alert.

But there were other things that needed her attention right now.

"You summoned us, Theron. You said you had leads on allies?"

Looking slightly apologetic, the agent lifted his shoulders once.

"Leads, yes. Commitments, no. Sorry. Lana's still working on the major players. Meanwhile, there's a potential ally on Zakuul we've been ignoring. 'Firebrand'."

That last word made Koth jump up in indignation.

"Your information is faulty. Firebrand's not on our side."

Raven got the impression that somewhere on the road, she had missed a memo.

"Firebrand?" she asked, and hoped that the person in question had a sweeter temperament than her own mother. The young assassin had never met Darth Ignus, but from what her sister had told her about their ancestor's spirit and her tales from the past, Darth Imperius was pretty sure that the older former Dark Councillor would have worn that nickname with pride as well. And would have left a fitting trail of smoking corpses behind in its honour, too.

"An unidentified individual who arrived on Zakuul two years ago", the former Imperial Intelligence droid chimed in. Raven still felt uneasy in her presence – for a robot, SCORPIO was entirely too vindictive."She has carried out bombings in the Spire targeting military and civilian venues."

Uh. That didn't sound too promising...

"That makes her a terrorist, not an ally", Koth interjected, mirroring her thoughts.

"It makes her both", Theron countered swiftly, and sighed. "Look, I'm not thrilled with the idea, but we're in no position to get choosy. She's done as much damage as we have."

Fighting a rising headache, Raven looked from one person to the other. Ashara was frowning openly, Senya's face was unreadable, and Lana had grasped her datapad at the first opportunity and was now likely researching references on that new potential ally. Andronikos and Lea didn't look too happy, either. But an enemy of their enemy could be a friend.

"Stick to the facts and reserve judgement for later", the young Sith asked, while hoping that she wasn't making a big mistake. "What do we know about her?"

This time it was Theron who forwarded her some additional data to her own datapad.

"Based on her rambling audio manifestos, she's an anarchist, looking to bring down Emperor Arcann's 'perfect society'", he added, just to be interrupted by SCORPIO again.

"There are elements of the Spire's population who create artwork in her honour. They even trade holograms of her handiwork."

Wonderful. This sounded better and better. Oh, wait – _not_. Lana finally looked up, though, and her eyes shone with interest.

"If she's survived fighting Zakuul so long and she's connected with the populace, she's worth investigating."

Not a bad point, either. But Raven really needed to go to Yavin 4… Feeling a sudden bout of helplessness, the young Sith looked to her sister. The Barsen'thor, thank the Force, was looking back attentively, and the inquisitor felt a certain mental nudge. Using the Force to ask Lea for help in this predicament, the assassin was relieved when the consular nodded.

"All right. We make contact", Raven decided, and cursed the fact that she'd accepted the leader position without a fight. It meant that all the difficult decisions were hers to make. "SCORPIO, you're the expert on the Zakuul underworld…"

There was no movement on the droid's face, and her voice sounded as weirdly pleasant as ever.

"The Lady of Sorrows could offer high-yield explosives to draw her out."

"Proceed. And Lea? Would you be willing to assemble a team, and to infiltrate Zakuul?"

The Jedi just waved her datapad.

"Sure thing, sis. You are the one who's blacklisted on Zakuul's security scanners, and also the one with the memories of your Yavin vision that might help you find Talos faster. I'm perfectly happy taking care of that anarchy girl. If she's anything like mum, we'll have a blast to be sure. Arcann not so much, though, at least once he gets the reports…"

Hoping that the Barsen'thor wouldn't overdo it, Raven nodded.

"Perfect. I'd feel better if you took Andronikos and Ashara with you, though, both for support against possible enemies, and to make contact with T7 and other covert allies down in the Zakuul underworld. Theron, we'll head for Yavin 4 shortly. Lana, Senya? Please continue working on those contacts. Koth, would you mind digging up some more data on Firebrand? If she's completely unstable, I'd like to know it as soon as possible."

Looking around, the young Sith breathed deeply.

"Good luck, all of you. And may the Force be with us."

* * *

 _Yavin 4, Imperial Camp, 5 AEA_

Sneaking through the moist, hot jungle air of Yavin 4, Raven couldn't help but notice how nice it was that for once she didn't have to worry about getting a headache by sustaining a Force cloak for too long. Next to her, Theron moved though the undergrowth with the silence of a floating Sith spirit phantom, and his stealth field generator came with a matching twin that covered herself nearly as reliably as the Force. Scans from her Fury starship had revealed an Imperial camp in the never-ending sea of leaves, and both Sith and agent had hurried to secure their ship, and to reach the inquisitor's old friend.

Of course security had been a topic on their flight towards the planet. Random Force visions were unreliable at best, and this special mirage had been quite peculiar. Raven didn't really believe it to be a regular vision, but had no idea what or who could be responsible instead, either. Vitiate's presence would likely have been more noticeable, and if the Emperor had been inclined to manipulate her towards Yavin 4, he could have saved himself the trouble of setting up a vision and just told her that Talos needed her help. And neither Arcann nor Vaylin could have simply put some pretty pictures into her mind without leaving traces of their respective aura, not over long distances at least.

That half-masked menace had nearly cut her in half. Raven wasn't very likely to forget that feeling, or the Force radiance of the culprit any time soon. Crazy unstable sweetheart of a maniac sister wasn't much better, either.

Working hypothesis was, right now, that Naga Sadow or some other regular inhabitant of the planet's ruins was still miffed at her intrusion years ago, and had called the young Sith back to see her friend getting eaten by Massassi right before her eyes. That would at least explain why the red-skinned savages had stopped their approach on the camp when the young inquisitor had been watching helplessly.

Reaching out with the Force, Darth Imperius felt… life. Ancient darkness surged around her and clouded her mind's eye, yes, but if one managed to look through that obstacle, the whole moon was a vibrant storm of living energy. Each tree, each shrub, each small insect in the air, all of it was part of the Force, and strengthened the powers around them. But there was more. Feeling worry that was not her own, but no special panic or distress, Raven just knew that they were not too late. Multiple people were there before her, close together, very much alive, and now that she was within reach, the young Sith would do her best to ensure that no beast or spirit could change that.

Looking around involuntarily as a cool breeze played around her head, Raven signalled Theron to drop the disguise, and both of them approached the line of turrets openly. Since the inquisitor didn't have to reflect energy bolts with her lightsaber, she assumed that there was somebody at the controls who'd got her signal earlier, or who had two working eyes and trusted that she wasn't a Massassi.

But those thoughts evaporated quickly in Yavin 4's sweaty heat, as Raven saw the person she was looking for. Brown hair a bit ruffled by the climate, but green eyes glistening with the same innocent curiosity and general kindness that she remembered… The inquisitor suddenly felt a strange lump in her throat at that sight.

"Talos", she whispered, not trusting her voice completely once more, but her words sounded loud enough in the relative quiet – the commander of the group, who had all but frozen at her approach, jumped up and spread his arms wide in greeting.

"Oh – my lord!" Talos exclaimed, and Raven didn't need more of an invitation. Hugging her friend, and trying to hide her eyes, the inquisitor could nearly believe for a moment that all the last years had been nothing but a bad dream.

"It's good to see you whole", the Imperial Reclamation Service officer confessed, voice as shaken as her own, and hesitated for a moment. "I'd half-expected to encounter your ghost in a place like this. Hoped, really…"

Uh, wait…

"You hoped I was dead?" the young Sith asked, troubled by the thought, but calmed down again when she looked into these honest, earnest emerald eyes that she had missed nearly as much as Theron's brown ones. The agent and her sister would always be closer to her heart, but that didn't stop the former lieutenant to be almost family as well. And now the young Darth had her little brother back.

"Many believed you had already passed on", Talos explained, and appeared to be a tad flustered, likely due to realizing that his outburst could have been understood the wrong way. "I thought you might be able to reach out to me in a place like this. It would have been only a minor setback for a Sith of your cunning and knowledge, I'm sure of it!"

Half chuckling, half fighting tears, Raven finally released her former companion.

"I've missed you, too", she confessed, and wiped her eyes without caring who might look. "Just… let's not talk about my apparent death any longer, okay? It sort of creeps me out a little."

"Of course, my lord! No offence intended. Welcome to Yavin 4."

Gesticulating, and turning to show her the camp, Talos continued with his typical enthusiasm.

"This is not the first time you've been here, I know, nor will it be the last, I'm sure. A lifetime of knowledge is buried on this world."

Looking around herself, the inquisitor felt the tell-tale cold of the dark side again.

"Dark knowledge, yes", she agreed. "I can feel its pull, the lure of ancient relics. The Force itself is pulsing around us, in ways both strangely familiar and utterly foreign. Well, at least that last part is no surprise, just as it was before. The ghosts of the past are watching us."

Talos' eyes became huge.

"Echoes of the ancient alchemy of Naga Sadow? Oh – or possibly the man himself? They say his ghost still dwells on this world…"

Not being able to help herself, the inquisitor looked around again as well, joining her friend in checking if an ancient ghost had just appeared conveniently to say hello. Even Theron seemed to be a bit uneasy, and he wasn't usually one for superstition. Not that believing in Force ghosts was really superstition; their existence was just a simple fact.

"Ah, but perhaps you're even feeling the very thing I'm researching", the commander continued, and handed Raven a datapad. "Could it be calling to you? Wouldn't that be something!"

"Why are you here in the middle of Massassi country, anyway? I couldn't reach you on the old channels, but a Force vision or something very similar showed me this camp, and that you were in danger of, well, getting eaten."

Frowning, Talos looked around, and lowered his voice.

"I can't help but agree, my lord. We have been watched by Massassi for the last week. I don't know what is stopping them from attacking; they always stay beyond our direct turret target sensor range. But I have seen their traces on the ground, and their presence scares my men. Still, our mission is too important to abandon. Empress Acina's orders, actually. I came to Yavin 4 to study the mechanisms of the Temple of Sacrifice. It was destroyed, but portions are still woven throughout the area."

The Temple of Sacrifice… It had been destroyed by the allied troops of Satele Shan and Darth Marr, but the final fight against Revan had taken place on a hidden terrace at its side as well. And those weren't good memories. Just as Raven had believed that they had won, that they had succeeded in stopping the crazed former Jedi, and, indirectly, Vitiate the Mad, the Sith Emperor's conjured and strengthened ghost had laughed at them and nearly destroyed them all. If the Jedi and Sith present hadn't reflexively pushed against his presence in a rare and probably accidental combination of Force powers, his dark draw would have probably killed at least the Force-blind people of their strike team. Since that would also have included Theron, Raven swiftly focused on happier thoughts.

"My theory is that this ancient piece of technology may share traits with others built by the former Sith Emperor", Talos Drellik continued, and was now firmly back in scholar mode. Trying to imagine what that implied, Raven suddenly whistled in understanding.

"Such as the Eternal Throne! Good thinking, Talos."

Nodding vividly, her old companion produced some more datapads.

"Spot on, my lord. What little has been revealed about Zakuul indicates that their Eternal Fleet is attuned directly to their emperor's will. The Temple of Sacrifice seemed attuned to our former emperor in a similar way. Therefore Empress Acina herself ordered this team to unearth what artefacts we could. If you'd help me exhume a few samples, we could take them for analysis."

A weapon against Zakuul? Raven suddenly felt as if it was her birthday.

"Very well, I'm game. But would it be possible to order your team to abandon camp, retreat to the shuttles, and back into space?" she asked, as worry reintroduced itself. "In my vision, I saw quite a lot of Massassi in the darkness, and while I'm confident that the three of us will be safe, I'm not so sure about the rest of the group here."

It didn't take Talos long to agree with her.

"Of course, my lord. The people here will be glad to leave, I think. Give me a moment, then we can visit these locations here. I'll be right behind you!"

Next to her, Theron shook his head.

"Just like old times", he commented. "Us against unknown dangers, with nothing but a lightsaber and blasters between ourselves and certain death. Couldn't we visit a boring planet for a change?"

* * *

 _Yavin 4, Wilderness, 5 AEA_

Hoping that no giant moray eels or other charming fish had started to populate Yavin 4's lakes, Raven teetered through the chest-high water and hoped that the other artefacts would be located on dry ground. A giant Massassi fighter had tried to stop them, but was now decomposing peacefully in the jungle climate. Theron had stayed ashore, guarding their rear, but Talos was splashing around next to her and even looked as if he was having the time of his life.

"Perhaps we can even encounter another Sith ghost, like back on Hoth. Oh, or find lingering traces of the former Sith Emperor himself!" he exclaimed, and plunged fully when encountering another deeper sink in the lake's muddy ground. Not bothered at all, the archaeologist reappeared after a second, spit a mouth full of swamp water into the wild, and wiped the soaking hair out of his eyes. Raven looked again to be sure, but yes, Talos was still smiling widely.

"You do seem rather eager for calamity", the young Sith commented, and tried to hide her amusement.

"Oh, perish the thought. It's just that this business is important, and your presence here is like a dream come true, my lord. Those soldiers and scientists back there are capable, certainly, but they just can't compare to a Sith of your power. With you, it was like constantly running from one wonder right into the next catastrophe, but always with a chance to survive even the greatest dangers."

The assassin watched Talos secure the relic they had been looking for, and didn't know if she should smile or frown at that assessment. It was a fact, though – her life was a crazy ride between different horrors beyond measure, with some lighter spots in between that had stopped her from going fully mad until now.

* * *

"Centuries old… sometimes I forget the kind of being our Sith Emperor really was. And look… without the Force, these things here wouldn't even function. Something is strange about the time periods of these relics, though – they are completely ad odds… But that's a riddle for another day. Uh, did you feel that strange shiver down your spine, too?"

Luckily, Raven hadn't fallen into the same scientific trance as her companion, but continued to watch the woods around them. Therefore she was fast enough to block a Massassi spear with the Force, and threw two of the red-skinned beasts back into the darkness between the trees. Those wouldn't get up in the near future. Theron abandoned his stealth generator disguise and introduced the last attacker to one of his blades. While no lightsaber, those weapons could still do nasty things to a humanoid's innards.

Talos, who had protected the relics from harm in the meantime and supported both the Sith and the agent with his blaster, straightened again from his crouched position behind a giant root. Still smiling, he collected the artefacts, and entered something into his datapad.

"Hah! Just like old times!", he exclaimed, and the young assassin noticed that she had really missed his enthusiasm. "I haven't been chased by marauding life forms on an expedition since you disappeared. Quite missed the thrill of it."

That sounded… promising.

"So… your job here on Yavin 4 is finished?" Raven inquired, wondering about the best way to ask for her former companion's support. If Acina was directly ordering him around, and had provided him with a significant amount of resources, Talos might not be willing to abandon that luxurious position just because she asked him to…

"Yes, this should be everything I need", the officer answered, delighted, and oblivious to her worries. "We couldn't have done it without you, my lord. Thank you again for your help."

The young Sith coughed slightly, and decided that she had no time for subtlety.

"Yes, well, about help… There is this alliance group that I'm sort of building and leading, and I'm working with this Hutt, Doctor Juvard Oggurobb…"

Huge green eyes stared at her with such shock that Raven couldn't help but wince.

"Do you want to tell me that you have no place for another scientist?" Talos asked, aghast, and so distraught that the young inquisitor nearly panicked herself.

"No no no no no, on the contrary – I'm sure Dr. Oggurobb would be thrilled to have somebody with your expertise around to discuss his projects", she interjected, and spread her arms. "And I would love to have you with me again. We've somehow managed to survive without your healer skills until now, but I wouldn't want to press my luck. Can you join us, Talos?"

Relief played around the archaeologist's features.

"Of course, my lord. I'll begin preparations to depart the Yavin system. You know, that's already the second time I'm going to resign from the Imperial Reclamation Service… If I had known you survived the invasion five years ago, I would have saved myself the trouble of reapplying, and would have searched for you instead."

And there it was again, the inevitable cold that always caught Raven's heart when the long years of her carbonite sleep were mentioned.

"I was in no position to call anybody during the longest part of those time", she sighed. "I'll tell you the whole story on our way back. But things are looking up. You already know Theron, Lana's with us as well, and we even found Andronikos and Ashara. Oh, and my sister's there, too, of course."

In the twilight around them, the young Sith couldn't really interpret Talos' expression for a second. But whatever it was, it was replaced by his usual smile after another moment. Perhaps it had just been a stray shadow that had made the officer's face appear kind of troubled or hurt when she mentioned Lea.

"How fares Master Kell?" he asked, full of friendly curiosity again. "I know that she was hurt severely, and we talked a few times during her recuperation on Tython, but lost contact since."

Raven shrugged, not really knowing what had happened back then.

"I don't know if the Jedi cut the communication, or if she was just too busy searching for me, but Lea's completely fine again. You know, the usual – hunting bad guys, and plundering our provisions in record time. Just like old times."

* * *

 _Fury, Space, 5 AEA_

With Talos Drellik on board and her worries gone, Raven grasped herself a ration bar, and made herself comfortable in front of the communication terminal. She was curious about her sister's opinion on that ominous Zakuulan renegade 'Firebrand', and didn't want to live in suspense until she reached Odessen. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long until golden eyes met hers through the holo interface.

"Hey, sis", the Barsen'thor greeted, but her grin was a tad too wide to make the young Sith comfortable. "Did you find Doctor Drellik? Is everything fine on your end?"

Yes, the smile was definitely too innocent. Frowning, the assassin tried to get a better view of Lea's surroundings. It didn't look like Odessen, nor like a shuttle…

"We're good. Where exactly are you, and what happened with Firebrand?"

Smiling more genuinely now, the consular whistled appreciatively.

"Good to hear. I couldn't help but worry a bit, with those Massassi that you mentioned…"

"Yeah, we ran into some of them. Nothing a good lightsaber couldn't solve. Where are you now?"

Blinking, her sister tilted her head.

"One can never be too careful with Massassi, you know? They certainly do pack a punch…"

Remembering some tricks she'd picked up during her time on the Dark Council, Raven glared at the evasive Jedi, calmed her voice until it could have rivalled an especially motionless corner of deep space, and threw some echoes of gravestones hitting solid ground in for good measure.

"Where. Are. You. Now. Lea."

The Jedi winced slightly, and likely not at the sound of her voice, but at her memories. That was really not a good sign.

"Uh, I'm still on Zakuul, actually. Right now, I'm with Kaliyo, also known as Firebrand, and we're rigging pretty much all of the central power conduits of the Spire. That okay with you?"

Recovering from her near heart attack in the medbay, part of Raven's mind was really glad that she had Talos around. The main part of her brain was busy oscillating between panic and anger, for a covert assault on their enemy had definitely not been included in their mission briefing for 'Firebrand'. Usually the young Sith trusted her sister completely, but right now she couldn't help but think that Lea's dislike for Zakuul and inspiration from the anarchist Rattataki had made for a dangerous match. It was too late to interfere, though, for the inquisitor was about half a galaxy away. Cursing under her breath, Raven set a course for Odessen, and hoped that the consular had a good explanation for her apparent recklessness.

* * *

 _Odessen, War Room, 5 AEA_

When Lord Kallig reached Odessen, her anger had subsided once more, but it had been replaced by a very bad feeling that she couldn't shake off. She knew that her sister had made it back to their base before her, and with Firebrand on top, but the reports hadn't told her much more. Entering the war room with Theron in tow, Raven just came in time to see Koth and Lea shouting at each other in earnest.

"Go cry yourself a blasted river in honour of your beloved monster, Vortena, but don't do it here! And if you once more dare to suggest that someone should influence the 'Outlander' to surrender to that bastard ghost, then even the world-eating king of killers won't be powerful enough to put the sorry remnants of your body back together!"

The Jedi's last words coincided with the hum of an igniting lightsaber. Feeling the uncomfortable cold of fear grasp her spine, the young Sith rushed forward, but did not have to intervene. Koth just shot her sister a stare that bordered on manic, turned on the spot, and walked out without granting the newly arrived group so much of a second look. If he had been Force sensitive, the Alliance would probably have had to renovate the floor. The consular though… Raven could only hope that her eyes had deceived her for a moment, for she had nearly believed to see small flames playing around her sister's spiky armour.

"Stop it. I don't care who started it, but this went too far. Way too far, in fact. Now, everybody, try deep breaths for a change, and put your weapons away. And somebody please tell me what in the three Chandrilan Hells happened here."

Since Lea was still beyond words, Lana was kind enough to fill the gap.

"All mission objectives on Zakuul were fulfilled", the blonde Sith reported. "Ashara and Andronikos increased our net of contacts, and Master Kell acquired the help of the anarchist Kaliyo 'Firebrand' Djannis. To this extend, our strike team assisted Djannis in deactivating the droids around the Spire, and was able to procure detailed schematics on the city. As a side effect of the blast that disabled the droids, the Zakuulan DNA tracker databases in the Overwatch Security Centre suffered heavy damage. Casualties among civilians were avoided completely."

"The map will be useful once we plan any move on Zakuul, and with a bit of luck, you'll be able to come with us without every sensor screaming its alarms around the Spire, sis", the consular chimed in. Raven could see that the Barsen'thor was still angry, but at least Lea had regained control of herself. Scratching her head, the young assassin wondered what all the fuss had been about.

"No civilian casualties, droids just deactivated, and we gained valuable resources?" she asked. When both Lea and Lana nodded in agreement, Raven lifted her arms in perplexity.

"And Koth's issues with all this…?"

Her sister spat onto the ground, but didn't erupt in flames at least.

"Ask him if you want. He just came at me like a hungry rancor charging prey, and screamed at me how I could dare to strike at the oh-so-peaceful Zakuulan society. Then he went on ranting about Kaliyo, that we couldn't trust her, and finally he started with his usual lines regarding Valkorion. To be precise, Captain No-Brains shouted that the monster would never have allowed such disturbances in his perfect society, and that somebody should talk sense into you to accept the world-eating Sith's power to end Arcann's rule and stop cruelties like this. Apparently, living without babysitter droids and having to tidy up their apartments for three days in a row equals doom for Zakuulans."

Damn it. For a long time the young Sith had been afraid that Koth's opinion on Valkorion might cause problems, but she'd still hoped to be able to diffuse the worst of it. Yes, she'd told the Zakuulan captain once that she wouldn't continue to protect him against Lea's wrath if he provoked her with talks about Valkorion and what came down to threats to her own well-being, but Lord Kallig would always try for a diplomatic solution first. This time, though, she had been too late.

"It is probably best to give him space", the inquisitor sighed, and shook her head, hoping that it would really be sufficient. "About the mission, though… It sounds like a good solution to me, Lea. Thanks. Nice work, all of you, but I'd still like a full report later. Now, what about this Rattataki?"

The Barsen'thor made a weird sound, somewhere between a snort and a chuckle.

"She's probably great fun at a party, and quite pleasant while working with her. Keen mind, knows her way around the Spire, can handle a gun and detonators. I don't think we can turn her away, not in our current situation. But she is also a liar and a killer. I watched her mock, ridicule and kill a beaten enemy, and if I had not stopped her, she would have used the opening in Zakuul's defences to hit the city deeply. As in explosions everywhere, panic, chaos, _death_. She doesn't know the concept of mercy, and will do whatever it takes to further her own interests."

Closing her eyes, Raven massaged her temples. All of this was giving her quite a headache.

"But you still think she's valuable enough to keep around? All right, then we need to see that she gets a bunk, and warn the others. Theron, could you add her to the watch list?"

Leaving her friends to their work, the inquisitor ventured out to speak to the anarchist rebel and try to get a first-hand impression of Firebrand. It wasn't the same as fighting side by side for hours, but soon enough, Raven could understand her sister's opinion. Still, she didn't sense any direct deceit, and Kaliyo's hatred for Arcann seemed to be genuine. If the Rattataki could indeed play by the assassin's rules, then she would certainly be a useful addition to their Alliance.

* * *

Running back to the war room due to an emergency call by Theron, the young Darth appeared just in time to see holo pictures of burning buildings. Apparently Arcann had started an offensive to hit possible Alliance supporters, and used his fleet to burn industrial complexes on a number of worlds. Since neither of the planets in question actually supported their operation, Raven got the impression that the rage-prone junior leader of Zakuul had mostly and needlessly cut into his own flesh. Of course each casualty was one too many, but the ships of the Eternal Fleet were precise enough to hit their intended targets from orbit without much collateral damage, and those automated factories had run exclusively on droids. There were some civilian victims of the attacks, but not many – still feeling responsible of sorts, the inquisitor ordered covert help operations with drops of medical equipment for the affected worlds. Hoping to finally get some sleep, and this time real sleep without strenuous exercises before it, Raven tried to leave the hall, just to run head-first into none other than Tora. The engineer had been sprinting at full speed, and was pale enough that the contrast to her blue hairs was especially striking.

"Koth flipped his hydrospanner!" she exclaimed. "He took a shuttle and simply left without authorisation! Said that he was going, but not much more, and Len and some of the others went with him."

Theron was the first to reach the computer consoles.

"Opening a holo channel to the shuttle", he stated, and Raven could hear the same concern in his voice that she felt herself. A moment later, the Zakuulan renegade's face filled the screen.

"Never been one for long goodbyes", Koth said, and the young Sith couldn't see beyond the mask of calm that he was wearing. "That was the final straw. I won't just continue to sit by and listen to Valkorion's name getting slandered like that. I need to go."

"Koth…"

Raven had spoken first, but words failed her. Her exclamation was echoed by Lana, but the blonde Sith did seem to have similar problems with forming a full sentence. It was enough to make Koth blink at least. Not that this did any good.

"Goodbye, Lana. Outlander. I'll miss you."

And with that, the young Sith only stared onto an empty projection device.

When Lord Kallig had regained enough of her composure to look around, she saw varying degrees of shock, hurt, disbelief, and anger on the faces around her. Only the former Republic agent seemed still be able to think clearly.

"Jumped to hyperspace", Theron reported, and Raven was impressed that he still managed to sound calm – personally, she felt like beating her head against the console. "We lost them."

* * *

Author's Note: Of course Ignus is thick. She also has some rage issues (and other issues as well), sometimes lacks observation skills, and has quite a lot of pride. In other words: If there wasn't her tendency to burn things when angry, she'd be a pretty average human being.

But she definitely knows by now how to remove a mask on her own, though. Just saying.

Thanks for the reviews, thanks for reading!


	23. Strange Science

_Fury, Outer Rim, 4 BEA_

 _Take it slowly, 'kay?_

 _Don't overreach yourself, master._

 _Are you really feeling well, my lord? No disrespect intended!_

 _Tulak Hord never allowed an enemy illness an advantage by ignoring breaks. Rest, my master._

The last part had actually gotten through Raven's shield of dislike and reluctance. If even her Dashade, ancient devourer of Force users that he was, showed concern for her well-being, then things really had to be looking grim.

The problem, or rather lack thereof, was the simple fact that she wasn't feeling ill at all. On the contrary, ever since the direct after-effects from the fight with Thanaton had faded, the young Sith felt better than ever. Force power was flowing freely through her limbs, she was feeling energetic, _alive_ , strong and confident, and the simple act of sitting still for an hour translated now as most insidious torture.

And yet...

 _You're dying, little snake._

Lord Kallig would have scoffed at the ghost's snarling assessment, if she hadn't sensed the truth of his words. Well, or the fact that he believed them to be true. With their minds so close, and the barriers in her spirit all but broken between the young assassin and the ancient Sith, there was nowhere left to hide, no place to recede to whenever their intrusions got too much and she didn't want to fight for peace and quiet for a moment. So the young Sith Lord tried to get some rest, and to let her friends do all of the research, because getting worked up over vague hints repeatedly would probably be unhealthy for her currently fragile powers, too. At least that was what both Talos and Lea believed, and since both of them knew more about healing than Raven ever would, the young inquisitor had resigned to the fact that they were right, and followed their advise grudgingly.

And then, with the first day of the new year, another message had shattered the last remains of her composure. Not wanting to believe, but still glued to the monitors because she couldn't just not watch, the young inquisitor had witnessed the Treaty of Coruscant being broken, or at least its sorry remains being ripped apart for the last time. A whole fleet from the Imperial Sphere of Offence had just flattened a Republic-aligned colony and space station, without any kind of half-excuse, denial, or pretence. Some skirmishes had occurred before, true, but this full-out attack was the final blow to all talks of peace. While being young and somewhat idealistic, Raven did possess at least some sense of reality, and she had known for quite some time that the treaty wasn't worth the paper it was written onto. Still, she had hoped that it might hold a little while longer, to allow her to sort out her old Darth problem and to think about her future, no matter if that was with the Empire or the Republic. But it definitely looked like this wasn't an option any more.

Sighing, the young Sith put her datapad with galactic news articles away. First of all, she should avoid stress if she didn't fancy another loss of Force control, and second, she needed to make sure that she indeed had a future, and the old, dusty texts that Talos Drellik had liberated from Darth Thanaton's private secret library might just offer the key to her salvation. Her sister was going to consult the Jedi archives, but since Raven couldn't just fly to Tython and help with that endeavour, she had decided to concentrate on the options available to her. Asking how Ashara's and the lieutenant's work on Thanaton's texts was going was the logical consequence, and would certainly not harm her more than idle, frustrated waiting. So Raven did the sensible thing for a change, which was most definitely not brooding over a galactic war that she couldn't stop right now. She got up slowly, and made her way to the Fury's galley for a cup of warm tea and some conversation about their possible destinations. Just barging into a Republic high-security prison or throwing herself into a strange society ruled by half-insane Force users might be as lethal as her current health issues, and in contrast to the Force ghost corruption, Belsavis' prison guard blasters or heavy artillery would directly affect her friends as well.

Luckily, the room wasn't empty – Raven suddenly didn't feel like being alone with her thoughts. Ashara was there, in front of the fridge, and was just helping herself to another dessert, while her robes nearly touched the Alderaanian cream on top. The assassin couldn't help but smile for a moment; she didn't know if it was a Jedi thing, but both servants of the light that she knew well were a genuine menace for all carefully calculated supply plans. Especially if the supplies in question contained sugar. Good thing that at least Lea had to buy her own chocolate, because otherwise her recently acquired money from the bounty hunting on Hoth would have been surely cut in half by now.

The former Jedi noticed her approach and turned, and Raven forgot her humour at the sight of her apprentice's face. Ashara was fighting for composure, but the young Sith hadn't survived Korriban by not paying attention to her surroundings, and she clearly saw the cracks in the young Togruta's mask of calm.

"Do you want to go back home? Leave this madness behind?"

Her heart had spoken before Raven's brain had gotten any say whatsoever, but Lord Kallig didn't feel regret as the gesture of understanding succeeded in making Ashara finally abandon her attempt at restraint, and the former Padawan quickly put her bowl aside before starting to sob into her master's shoulder. Closing her eyes herself, the assassin held her apprentice for what felt like a long time, and when the younger woman had finally calmed down, she directed both of them to a bench nearby.

"Hey. I'm here for you. Do you want to talk about it, whatever it is that troubles you?"

Sniffing, Ashara reached for a tissue.

"It's... my brother", she finally choked. "I told you that I had started writing to my family again some time ago. Now mother's told me that Asher registered with the Republic military. He's not cut out for that sort of bloodshed out there, master. None of them really is. And yet he'll be at the front lines in no time, and who knows what will happen to him then. Even if he's one of the lucky ones, he will come back jaded and hurt in spirit. I can't just leave this madness behind when it's everywhere, my lord. The war, the suffering, the darkness... why can't all of this just stop?"

The Sith Lord had no answer to that. And when Raven continued to support her apprentice as the Togruta started crying again, she remembered that Lea had not found an answer, either, when the inquisitor had asked her Jedi sister the exact same question.

* * *

"Hey. Know you don't like her to chime in, but the old lady Sith said we'd need to work quickly to find a cure for your strange ailment, right?"

Lifting a single eyebrow, Raven carefully shot Andronikos a glance while mostly staying hidden behind the shower curtain.

"I know for sure that I don't really like anybody to 'chime in' when I'm stark naked and trying to do something for my personal hygiene", she remarked gently, which only earned her an exasperated look.

"Sith, we've seen each other in our respective birthday suits for Force knows how often when patching each other up on some random planet or another. I'm not into you like that, you're not into me like that, and I know you'd probably kill me if I tried to get a peek just for fun, okay? I'm not here for some kind of game, and definitely not suicidal."

Making a mental note that Andronikos sounded genuinely upset at the accusing implication, the assassin gave him a thumbs-up from behind the curtain and then retreated completely behind the relative fragile shelter again.

"Fine. So what's up?"

Raven figured that it had to be something important if her pirate came just running into the bathroom of all places, while hacking the lock out of reflex or something. She'd really have to talk to him about manners again some time, though.

"Sure. Ghost lady and Jedi girl have finally made some sense of most of Thanaton's crumpled papers. Guy called Irate-us or something was also bursting with shiny Force powers, and when he was afraid he'd explode or at least blow his own eyes out by accident, he went to the corners of known space to look for some mythical mumbo-jumbo to make everything fine again."

Of course it had to be the corners of known space, Raven mused. Salvation, eternal happiness, or a fool-proof hiccup cure never seemed to exist just around next door. Strange thing, though, that few people of remote worlds in the middle of nowhere came to the core worlds in search for enlightenment. Perhaps those souls out there had actually found something better to do with their free time.

But she was getting sidetracked again.

"That was the guy who went to Belsavis, right? But did he really find anything, or was it a desperate move without hope for success?" the young assassin wondered aloud. She could almost see the satisfied grin of Andronikos Revel behind the curtain.

"That's why I'm here, risking the legendary bare fury of the Sith."

"Not funny."

"Nah. It was. A little. Anyway, guy went to Belsavis in search of a Rakata device in a Rakata prison that he believed could 'fix' him. And no, I don't know a thing about Belsavis, other than it's a giant mystery place and full of shooting people right now, or the Rakata in general, or a Rakata device, or what 'fixing' means in this context, but ghost lady thinks it's your best bet."

Raven closed her mouth again, because she'd been about to ask these questions.

"So, is there a Rakata expert somewhere? Can we consult the Imperial archives? How do we get landing permissions for that planet?", the young Sith asked after a second of contemplation, getting exited despite the lack of details, and nearly forgot where exactly she was when a pointed cough from her pirate companion stopped her just short from jumping out of the shower at once.

"Landing shouldn't be a problem, that place is a war zone right now due a giant prison break. Republic prison, not Rakata prison. You know, layers of prisons, like a big prison fancy cake? Don't roll your eyes, okay? I know you do it, even if I don't see it."

Andronikos coughed again before he continued.

"The prison itself is another story, some kind of top-secret thing even Ashara's masters only alluded to when she was with the Jedi. But we'll figure it out as we go, as usual, right? Don't think sitting around and waiting for your condition to get worse is doing anybody any favours, and by now the rest of the crew agrees with me. Just wanted to have your consent before I set a course, captain."

Closing her eyes and wondering how in the universe she'd gotten from evading capture, just to run straight into the next high-security prison voluntarily, Raven nearly smiled.

"Sure. Sounds like fun to do an inverse jailbreak for a change, or two of them", she agreed. "Belsavis it is, then. And now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave the shower before I get a cold. Preferably while being alone in this room."

* * *

 _Belsavis, Minimum Security Section, 4 BEA_

"I don't like it. I definitely don't like it."

Shaking her head at her apprentice's frown, Raven gesticulated vaguely before continuing in a slightly lower and less angry voice.

"All of it, I mean. Zash's meddling. We are here because of Zash's knowledge of Thanaton's secret library, and due to Zash's interpretation of the information we liberated from it. That's fine, that's why we came to Belsavis. But now you're telling me that we have to find some former employees of Zash, because Zash said that those are our best hope to find that mystery machine which Zash personally translated out of the mystery texts that nobody else can truly interpret? That's entirely too much 'Zash' in this sentence for me to be even remotely comfortable."

Frustrated human eyes met worried Togruta ones.

"You think it's a set-up, master?"

Andronikos shrugged as he walked past Ashara. "From what I know about lady ghost, I wouldn't put it past her. Sweetheart-Sith here has made it pretty clear that she's on her monster's side when it comes to the upcoming epic battle between spooky ghost and killer shadow, and I'd bet my next five pay cheques that the old Sith will do anything in her power to survive."

Nodding her agreement while trying to concentrate on her companions' words and their surroundings in parallel, Raven looked around, eyes increasingly wide. She'd known that Belsavis' whole surface was either ice or a prison, and had expected, well, walls and such, but those thoughts didn't do justice to the place she was now standing in at all. While there were certainly walls, guards and bases from both galactic powers and everything, the young assassin was now staring at a breathtaking mix of magnificent exotic flora, and the most impressive glacier fronts she'd ever seen. And since she'd already spent weeks running through Hoth's icy wastes, that was really saying something. Multi-coloured vines ranked around a half-burned Republic watchtower close to her position, and the whole Imperial base behind her was currently being conquered by tiny little birds, which shone like small jewels in the cold morning air that was so unlike Kaas City's moist warmth, or Korriban's dry heat. If her eyes hadn't deceived her, Lord Kallig had even seen a red-eyed Sith Lord smile at the sight of those animals, and he had definitely not used the creatures for target practise a second later.

And yet the paradise before her eyes was more than just fragile. Even if one was able to ignore the outposts and the obvious signs of war, Belsavis' whole ecosystem was based on small respites between natural disasters. The only reason why this very base was standing on earth and grass instead of snow was volcanic energy, and when the next eruption didn't destroy everything in its vicinity, the moving glaciers would claim the land once the lava streams from the last eruption cooled down enough. Plants had therefore adapted to grow alarmingly fast, and their seeds could survive heat as well as centuries of ice-cold pressure. Wincing slightly, Raven realized that right now, she could probably give lectures on the prison world's rare plant life – the Republic had sent many research teams to their treasured world, after all, and those articles and papers were among the few that Ashara and Talos had deemed safe enough for her to read without risking another destructive loss-of-control Force attack during their journey to the ancient Rakata outpost of Belsavis.

Sometimes Lord Kallig got the feeling that her favourite crew overacted a little when they were concerned about her safety.

"Do we have another option, my lord? We don't even know what exactly we're looking for."

Closing her eyes, the Sith allowed herself one second to just listen to the little birds. Their chirping made her smile as well. Still, they had been talking about Zash and her possible traps, and that warranted at least a little bit of concentration.

"Unfortunately, we don't", Raven finally admitted. "Iratus' diagrams weren't exactly what I would call 'helpful'. But we need to be careful. That's why Khem has to stay on the Fury, with heavy restraints and under guard. Hopefully Talos will still be able to do some research while making sure that Zash can't do anything behind our respective backs. The three of us are going to track down those Nikto followers of my former master. If they are really as good as Zash claims, then they should be able to interpret the data. Andronikos, anything that looks sliceable while navigating the giant prisons is your job. Ashara, you'll help me talk down any Republic guards we might run into, all right? And if anybody notices something funny that could in any way be connected to a scheme of Zash, remember to scream a warning, and to run like hells."

The young Sith Lord looked towards the birds again, but suddenly the peaceful sight was not sufficient to calm her down any more. While Darth Iratus' diagrams had been impossible to interpret, his diary was easy to understand, and the records showed his condition worsening rapidly. Lightning played around her fingers at that thought for a moment, and Raven felt cold inside her at that small loss of control. They needed to be careful, yet quick, and all of that in an ancient prison full of unknown dangers.

If only there was some kind of guarantee that there was indeed some cure to find at the end of the road, the young inquisitor mused grimly. If they didn't find what they were looking for, Thanaton might well suffocate from sheer laughter once he got the news that his rival had spent her last strength on a fool's errant.

Raven put these thoughts aside and took the first steps towards what would hopefully become a fast and easy search for a universal Force ghost corruption cure, when the sound of quick footsteps startled her.

"My lord! Urgent request from the Sphere of Logistics, there is a code orange security issue with Belsavis' Sith forces..."

Turning towards the messenger, who jumped back when he got a look at her face, Raven showed her teeth in what might have been called a smile under happier circumstances.

"If people like you keep interrupting me, you can add an additional code red security issue regarding a very unhappy Sith Lord to your list", she stated very calmly, and smiled darkly when the unfortunate trooper ran like he'd just returned from a free tour through all Corellian hells. Not willing to lose any more time, the assassin left the base behind, while ignoring the glances between her apprentice and her pirate companion.

* * *

 _Belsavis, Republic Prison Block, 4 BEA_

Breathing in relief, Raven watched the Republic captain run towards freedom. The group of angry ex-prisoners who'd surrounded him in the first place had easily obeyed her fake Sith fury and left the man alone, presumably because they thought she would have worse in store for the unfortunate officer than they'd ever be able to think of. But even after the rescue, the Republic captain had refused to provide the information they needed. It had taken some time and a classy good-Force-user-bad-Force-user act to pry a list with prisoner locations from him, and near the end of their talk, Raven had been afraid that she would lose her nerves and just zap him. Andronikos, who'd voted for shooting the guy on principle since pirates didn't cooperate with prison guards, had not been helping at all, and just spent his time sitting on the ground, while snickering something about bearing the consequences of light side actions. Raven wasn't very pleased, and it got worse on their way to the Nikto hideout. After cutting through just about every type of predator that Belsavis had to offer, storming through a whole working section of the Republic prison by accident, and running into the still active blasters of some weird ancient guardian droids in an unsettling vault, the young Sith had to use all of her self-control not to scream at the Circle's leader when he asked her to place and defend a giant relay in return for their help. Force energy was playing around her fingers again, even though she hadn't called upon its energies, and apprehension was flowing through her veins.

* * *

 _Belsavis, Fury, Medical Station, 4 BEA_

The smell of kolto.

Again.

The flickering light of a medical console.

Again.

The lack of clear memories, but the absolute certainty that something had gone wrong spectacularly.

Again.

Raven groaned, and slowly opened her eyes, despite not being sure that she wanted to know why and how she'd succeeded in getting herself a trip to a medical bed again. She remembered the Nikto group, and being somehow very angry and frustrated, even though they seemed to be nice enough. Why had she been so upset? Surely not because of Andronikos' quip about her alignment; usually she'd laugh right along. Right? Right. Noticing that her head started to hurt from talking to herself, the inquisitor tried to recall what had happened again. There had been the relay from the Circle, and some frog-like creatures had come out of the water when she'd tried to place it somewhere outside, and then, the ground had shaken…

Blood. There had been so much blood.

Raven somehow made it to the washbasin and grasped the cool metal while fighting back a sudden bout of nausea. Andronikos had been hit by the giant beast that had simply exploded out of the murky ground, and the young Sith had followed her instincts. With a scream of pure rage that somehow still rang through her ears, she'd called upon whatever Force she could reach, thrown the ugly amphibian off her friend, and struggled to somehow push healing Force energy towards her fallen companion. Naturally that hadn't worked, as Raven was only able to focus on mending wounds when absolutely no distraction was present and she'd got enough time on her hands to enter a healing meditation, but Ashara had been able to stop the bleeding while the assassin ripped the monstrous adversary to shreds. After that, her memories became spotty, as dizziness had set in, foreign whispers had filled her mind, and the Force energy refused to disperse again. She'd fought against it, and finally managed to let go, but then something cold had touched her face, something that felt and smelled suspiciously like earth and grass, and the inquisitor had lost the battle against the rising blackness behind her eyes.

There was a knock on the door, and none other than Andronikos came in, perhaps a bit wobbly on his legs, but otherwise unharmed. Blinking, Raven abandoned her hold on the sink, turned, and hugged her friend, just as the pirate's arms encircled her shoulders.

"Hey", the former Republic captain murmured quietly. "Gave me quite a scare, back then. Remember anything?"

Holding on a bit more tightly, the young assassin started to chuckle into his shirt.

"Look who's talking. I thought that beast had bitten your whole leg off."

"Heh, just a flesh wound. My fault for looking so tasty, I think. Nothing a pack of kolto couldn't fix. But you…"

Suddenly, Raven got a prime view of Andronikos' facial tattoo, as her companion shifted and looked at her in poorly disguised worry.

"You just exploding in lightning again, screaming in pain, floating two feet above ground in a net of energy before falling down as if somebody had pulled a plug… that was among the most scary things that I have seen lately. Or, you know, ever."

Fingers grasped her shoulders, not hard enough to hurt, but strong enough to hold the young Sith tightly.

"Can't lose you, Sith", the pirate whispered, and the small part of Raven's self that wasn't swimming in emotion noticed that he'd closed his eyes at the thought. "Just can't, okay? You're my friend, and I don't have enough of those to let even one of them die. So don't do that to me. Please."

"I'm trying, I promise", the assassin murmured, while trying to work around the lump in her throat, and did her best to ignore the odds of that request for a moment.

* * *

 _Belsavis, Rakata Vault Entrance, 4 BEA_

After recuperating for the absolute minimum of time needed to convince Talos that she wouldn't just break down during the next fight, Raven was eager to check on the relay. Luckily, Belsavis' predators had some semblance of taste; while the remnants of the water monster corpse had been devoured, the metallic device from the Nikto engineers was still in working condition. Since her breath was coming a bit harder than usual, the inquisitor sat down for a moment, and simply enjoyed the feeling of plant life under her fingertips. Perhaps the fear of finding the relay broken had made her go faster than she was used to, or perhaps she was still feeling a kind of lingering weakness from her recent blackout, but it took the young Sith quite some time until she was ready to continue. Cursing Thanaton again, because fear of his spies was what had Raven made ignore the traceable speeders at the Imperial base in the first place, the assassin readied herself for the march back. She didn't want to risk her Orobird in a war zone, but her feet were not happy about it.

The way back to the Circle was wonderfully event-free, at least. Some smaller beasts were intelligent enough to just disappear into the undergrowth when the two Force users and one pirate passed their position, and one Republic droid was easily dismantled. Grinning, Raven removed a backup storage system and hoped that she'd be able to salvage something useful. The thought of finding patrol routes or something made the young Sith smile despite the small pain in her arm – she'd been too eager to get to the data core, and one mechanical limb had snapped back while she was working on the droid's upper parts. The pain wasn't important, though, and with the small impact she'd felt Raven was reasonably sure that she wouldn't even bruise.

When their little group reached the Circle's vault, however, Raven's good mood evaporated. The ancient stone seemed to stare right back at her, while the pure absence of light coiling in what was partly visible from the ancient tunnel system made her stomach turn and her skin crawl. How was it possible that she hadn't noticed this when she'd first entered the vault? Or even before that, when she'd confronted the Republic captain for that prisoner list? Or had that first vault been more 'normal', for a lack of a better word?

Raven's head started spinning again, and she sat down unceremoniously, making sure that there was a good distance between her and the actual entrance to the depths.

"Do you feel it, too?" she asked, glancing at Ashara, and tried not to shiver at the old tendrils of malice that seemed to reach out from the polished stones. It was the touch of the dark side, that was for certain, but a different kind of darkness than the power of the ancient Sith on Korriban. Somehow, this felt stranger, more foreign, as if a hint of madness lurked intrinsically tied to the dark shadows.

Her apprentice nodded, but Raven didn't really like the short glance that the Togruta shot her way, and the brush of light Force power that touched her mind. The inquisitor wasn't angry at her apprentice for being thorough, but upset at the fact that the former Jedi deemed it to be necessary.

"The power of the dark side is here, fading, but ancient", Ashara responded slowly. "It's… well, I suppose after your recent overload of Force power, your usual resistance might not be fully restored yet? Perhaps that's why you feel so affected?"

Now even Andronikos had a look on his face that Raven did not fully appreciate.

"Hey, Sith. You know what? Let's just stay here, up top, you and me, all right? I don't have fancy Force powers like you two, to protect myself from getting possessed, and I'd feel safer with a guard."

The young assassin had just opened her mouth to tell Andronikos that he was a terrible liar, when Ashara took over.

"And walking through the catacombs again will be very beneficial for my training, I'm sure of it. I need to do some tasks solo to strengthen my own self-confidence, after all. I'll just tell the Nikto to hold their end of the bargain, and give our spare communicator to them. Back in five!"

And with that, the young Togruta was gone, while Raven's mouth was still hanging open in absolute disbelief.

* * *

"You two are impossible."

Raven busied herself with giving her two companions random pieces of her mind while all of them were walking back to the main Imperial base. If she hadn't spoken with the Circle's leader Bolan over comm directly, the inquisitor might have assumed that the 'time needed to track down the mystery machine' was another ruse. But given that the sun was about to vanish behind the huge glacier walls, and the temperature dropped with each passing minute, the young Sith wasn't terribly sorry for a reason to go back to the Fury. She was actually starting to shiver again.

* * *

 _Belsavis, Fury, Medical Station, 4 BEA_

"Fever. Not high, but present. Was there any contact between her and other animals, or potentially poisonous plants… oh, my lord, you are awake! How are you feeling?"

If she'd been woken by anybody else but Talos by having a _thing_ poked into her ear, Raven would have probably ordered the unlucky being to manually clean the toilets of the ship for the full next month. But somehow she was physically unable to be angry at the usually enthusiastic officer.

Emphasis on 'usually'. Right now, even Lieutenant Drellik sounded worried. Ashara and Andronikos were there, too, and both seemed to be spectacularly unhappy for some reason.

"Not so good actually", the assassin admitted, and closed her eyes because the dim light was still strong enough to make after-images flash through her vision. "Head hurts. Sweaty."

"Hmm… here, that should help with the symptoms, at least."

Sighing with relief as the healer worked his kolto magic, Raven winced when she turned to the side. A new kind of pain had hit her, a dull ache that she hadn't noticed before.

"Don't want to sound too ungrateful", the assassin started carefully, "but did you guys do something to my arm when you started your little medical party?"

Talos cleared his throat, and grasped another small container.

"I was meaning to ask you the same thing", he remarked, while removing a bandage to apply some more cooling kolto on the assassin's arm, which was showing the most spectacular giant dark bruise that Raven had ever seen. She blinked, and blinked again, and the last thing that she heard before her mind decided to black out again for whatever reason was the voice of her archaeologist, who sounded even more worried than she felt.

"You really need to find this cure, my lord."

* * *

 _Belsavis, Fury, Quarters, 4 BEA_

After two days of lying or sitting in the medbay and doing mostly nothing, Raven's fever had subsided, she'd stopped sweating like crazy, and even her arm was looking way better.

And still she was feeling far from fine.

Oh, having some physical distance between herself and the Rakata vaults had helped immensely, since she wasn't constantly expecting to be swallowed whole by ancient masonry. Putting on some of her warmer robes had decreased her new tendency to shiver. But there was no simple cure for the fear that now lurked within her mind.

When the assassin woke up in the morning, the first thing she'd do was checking all visible body parts for any changes, and using a mirror for the rest. She was hating herself for this weakness, for giving in to fear, but she couldn't help it. Food didn't taste so well any more, or perhaps it was just getting more and more difficult to swallow past the increasing lump in her throat. Talos had assured her that there was no physical obstruction, but Raven felt as if somebody was slowly squeezing the life out of her.

 _You're dying, little snake._

"Seems that you actually do get the last laugh, Darth Andru", Raven hissed, angry at the memory, unwilling to surrender, yet unable to ignore the signals that her body sent any longer. As if on cue, her vision blurred, and the young assassin stared into the ghost world again, while the shadows of long-dead Sith slowly filled her field of vision. Darth Andru, Horak-Mul, Kalatosh Zavros…

Wait. Where was Ergast?

And why was the spirit of Darth Andru looking so… sheepish?

"Well, about that..." the ancient Sith started, and managed to convey the impression that he was feeling physical pain despite the lack of a body of his own at the things he was about to say. "Would you mind trying not to?"

* * *

"What?"

Raven mentally added her ears and sense of hearing to those body parts that showed defects, but since Darth Andru made a face as if he'd just been forced to swallow ten Tarisian swamp snails, she suddenly wondered whether the Sith might really have said those words.

"Oh, come on", Horak-Mul interrupted, with an equally unhappy expression visible between his Pureblood Sith facial tendrils. "First, those molluscs are disgusting, and second, most of us have already admitted to disliking our respective crypts in the middle of nowhere. If you die, and right now chances are high that you are going to do so in the near future, it's a direct ticket back to those places, and that's a prospect that I like even less than your terrible light-side attitude and Jedi-like righteousness."

"Err… did you hit your ghostly head really hard on some ghostly thing or whatever? That sounded suspiciously genuine", Raven commented, while trying to wrap her head around the fact that her ghosts were mostly talking to her and at least attempted to be civil instead of insulting her or laughing at her exclusively.

"We don't like this any more than you", Kalatosh Zavros took over, "but we offer our cooperation, as long as you keep your promise of granting us freedom."

" _You_ were the ones who broke that deal in the first place!"

Even in ghost form, Horak-Mul's eyes glowed red.

"We're Sith, what did you expect? But it didn't turn out so well for us, and you're suffering as well, so we're ready to keep our end of the bargain for a change."

This was just getting better and better. Raven started to massage her forehead, since her head was starting to hurt severely. There were entirely too many voices in her brain right now.

"Why should I believe you? And what exactly didn't turn out so well for you all?"

Watching a short, but quiet exchange of glances before her, the inquisitor couldn't help the feeling that she should have chosen lightsaber training and regular Force rituals to fight Thanaton. The whole ghost business was starting to look like a giant fiasco.

"You will believe us, because you already sense the truth", the Pureblood growled again. "Our minds are nearly one right now. No place for deceit, unfortunately. And since you will find out anyway: We tried to destabilize your powers even more, ever since your fight against that dressed-up swashbuckler of a Darth. Thought that might give us a shot at taking over your body, but even in distress and pain there's still way too much light-side power in you for us to even touch your deeper thoughts without gruesome pain. And since each attack damaged your body, which we still need, we've decided to abandon that plan for good. That's it. Now, will you keep your word, despite what's happened, or are we all going to fight till the bitter end?"

Raven sat down on her bed to prevent herself from staggering, and laughed until she was nearly crying. It was simply too much – seeing the disgruntled spirits, knowing that despite her ugly scars, she was apparently a magnet for body-stealing Sith of the past and present, and realising that the strange aggression she'd felt on Belsavis hadn't really been her own…

"Yes, about that", her apprentice's ancestor hissed. "Seriously, when you spared that Republic captain, despite our whispers, I was ready to puke. Now, get a grip already. Are we enemies, or allies?"

Blinking, Raven looked from one Sith to the other. She'd rarely been less sure of a decision, or herself, really, than in this moment. Reflexively the inquisitor called out through the Force, for help, for guidance, for more self-confidence than she currently possessed, for any kind of support. But Ashara was sleeping for once, Lea was half a galaxy away, and those faint threads and traces of the Force that she managed to touch through the unfathomable void didn't provide an answer.

"Where's Ergast?" she asked after some deliberation. "What's his opinion?"

As she said his name, the ghost in question appeared out of thin imagined air, but was grabbed into a head-lock by Horak-Mul the moment he took shape.

"He wants to eviscerate you, no matter what, but got outvoted..."

"… or rather smashed and nearly skinned, slithering snake that he is..."

"… so we'll take care of him, if you take our deal", the Pureblood finished, and shot Andru an even darker look, presumably for the interruption.

Breathing deeply, Raven considered her options. There weren't so many ones, which made the choice a little easier.

" _Enough_ ", she finally said, while folding her arms behind her back, standing up straight, and suddenly finding a new reservoir of calm and conviction within herself and the Force that she didn't know she could access. Even her voice sounded a tad foreign in her own ears. "You will not take further action against me, and you will respect my privacy. You will control Ergast, and you will help me in the upcoming battles by directing the power that was yours at the target of my choice. Then, I will grant you freedom."

The inquisitor didn't bother to explain what would happen if the ghosts did not agree. There was no need to do so, because they wouldn't dare to question her orders – she just _knew_ for sure. So she stood there, calm, face unmoving, and simply watched, as the three more cooperative ghosts finally bowed in agreement. If she wasn't mistaken, even Ergast had kind of tilted his ghostly head as far as he could.

When the spirits faded and her mind was quiet and her own again, Lord Kallig dropped down on her bed, not caring who or what might see her moment of weakness. Whatever energy she'd found in the void was spent. Her head hurt like crazy, and she was shivering as if she was standing next to one of Belsavis' glaciers again. But it didn't feel like one of those uncontrollable Force bursts she'd suffered through, so with a bit of luck her body hadn't been hurt further.

Raven grasped her blanket, wrapped herself tightly into its welcome warmth, and couldn't help but wonder at the expression of something that closely resembled fear on her new ghostly allies' faces.

* * *

 _Belsavis, Quarantine Zone, 4 BEA_

"Uh, don't know what I expected, but that's definitely not quite what I imagined that mystery cure to be, Sith..."

Glancing at Darth Iratus' datapad again before throwing it away, Raven shrugged helplessly.

"Mutation, not medicine. Hells. I mean… really? Yikes."

Mutation. Even the thought of allowing any kind of technique to change her on such a fundamental level made the young Sith tense fully. How could she even be sure that it would work? She would be completely at the mercy of whoever had control over the machine, even if it wasn't a sentient being any more, but only a leftover runtime from the dawn of time.

After getting threatened by a hooded hologram figure and being attacked by a legion of droids, though, Raven changed her mind – whoever was meddling with her right now had some form of malice left, which probably meant sentience. And if she had to guess, her bet would be 'Rakata', because whenever she placed her money on the most unlikely and simultaneously most unpleasant explanation, she was usually right. But at least she wasn't alone in this mess. Raven watched while Ashara and Andronikos dismantled the aggressive droids which had appeared out of nowhere, deciding to take it easy since her companions weren't even remotely in danger, and she was out of breath again. And when everything was calm once more, she decided to return to the base before bracing the unknown depths of the deep and ancient Rakata prison tomb. They'd need more kolto, and the young assassin wouldn't even touch any mutation machine with a Tusken Raider tent pole without listening to a more scientific explanation first.

* * *

 _Belsavis, The Tomb, 4 BEA_

"Oh, it's so exciting! Like walking through a giant tomb, but with fresh air, and wind, and sunshine! And look, those marvellous walls don't show a sign of wear or tear… Is it possible that the Rakata somehow imbued their buildings with the Force, my lord?"

Smiling at her archaeologist's enthusiasm, Raven did her best to look apologetic.

"I'm sorry, but I know next to nothing about Rakata, or their craftsmen", she answered. "The only thing I'm sure about is that I do not wish their empire to return. And with that shrouded figure that called shortly before the droid attack, calling me weak and unworthy… Seems that not all of the former rulers of deep space are gone, and they hold the key to my personal salvation in their blood-stained hands. Claws. Whatever. How do Rakata even look like? Something humanoid, if I remember correctly..."

Coughing slightly, Talos reached for his datapad, and presented the assassin with more images of Rakata statues than she'd ever wanted to see. Ugly. But… oh. Also uncannily familiar.

"You know, if one of those guys put a blanket over his weird eye stalks, it would match the holo picture that I saw in the quarantine zone perfectly", the young Sith mused. "And that wasn't just a simple computer program; I clearly sensed anger. Which means that I do need the Rakata mystery machine to survive, but its masters are still around and try to mess with me. On top of that, I also do have to worry about possible traps from my former master. What if I find this thing, use it, and suddenly notice that it has projected Zash's spirit into my body and my own mind into the next garbage dump? Or what if suddenly twenty Rakata jump out, laugh at my immobilized form, and tell me that I've doomed the universe by handing them the key to understanding their lost powers?"

Turning around to her companion, Raven was glad to see scientific interest instead of uncontrolled panic on Talos' face.

"The first is unlikely at this point", he analysed after a moment of contemplation. "Khem was under guard this whole time, and Andronikos had started to monitor all signals after you ordered that attack on Thanaton after Hoth, just to be sure that your enemy has no rare tracking device hidden on board of the Fury. There has been no unauthorised message ever since. And, frankly, the members of the Circle wouldn't have a chance to survive this far into the depths of Belsavis, even if Zash had found a way to order them around. Unless your former master has a mental connection to the lost Rakata, any involvement from her side is hardly imaginable. The Rakata are another story, though."

The lieutenant sighed, and averted his eyes.

"I can't provide you with sound statistics, but I do believe that using a Rakata machine that the builders in question are probably manipulating right now might indeed accelerate any plan or scheme the few remaining Rakata have to return power and influence to their species. Conversely, I am afraid that these possible manipulations might not be very beneficial for your health, my lord, even if we do assume that the original machine was able to heal you in the first place."

Dropping down unceremoniously onto the next log in her vicinity, Lord Kallig rested her head on her arms and tried to keep both the content of her stomach and her complete lexicon of curse words inside of her.

"Why is it that we only talk about this now, when we've already walked for hours through this deadly tomb?" she asked, exasperated. "Why didn't you warn me that this whole plan is not a good idea at all?"

Oh oh. She was sounding borderline hysterical. Not good.

Talos, with the nerves of steel that he obviously had, just shrugged calmly.

"You've beaten the odds before, my lord", he countered. "Scanning the machine might yet provide valuable insight."

"But it won't heal me, anyway! That's what Iratus' journal said, it's about mutation, not medicine. Force powers aren't genetic, though, so how can mutations increase my resistance to Force energy?"

Chuckling slightly, then harder, and finally laughing uncontrollably, the young Sith nearly fell from her wooden seat.

"This whole quest was useless..."

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't…

Blast it.

Raven reached for a tissue, when Talos suddenly hummed, intrigued.

"You are correct, to our best knowledge Force powers aren't genetic. That doesn't mean that genetics are useless, in this case. My lord, your Sith spirits did admit to creating adverse Force energy at critical moments on purpose, and those were the occasions when your symptoms started to appear or began to worsen, is that right?"

Typing quickly into his datapad, Lieutenant Drellik smiled that typical happy smile of his when he was confronted with a riddle, no matter if it was about old mausoleums, critical health issues, or figuring out improvements for a salad recipe.

"Assuming that the Force behaves like a form of regular energy, concentrated simultaneous overlaying emissions of different frequencies might have created simple patterns akin to, say, basic type II radiation. Given that standard covalent bonds at phosphate are prone to breaking randomly under regular conditions with just a bit of a push, we can safely assume that..."

The young Sith wasn't sure if her companion tried to distract her; if he did, it was working, but she got a severe headache out of it.

"Um, can you say that again in Basic, please?" she asked, and swore to herself that she would trade her holo novels for scientific papers as soon as they reached the Fury.

Well, perhaps not today. But tomorrow. Unless tomorrow was also a bad headache day.

"Chromothripsis, of course."

Raven frowned.

"Still not Basic, Talos. Chromo-what?"

It was interesting to see how the scientist tilted his head and tried to adjust his thoughts to kindergarten mode.

"The Sith spirits hurt you by pulling with their Force, at the same moment, but into different directions, and all of that just when your personal Force power was overstretched", he explained, and the inquisitor nodded – that was easy enough to understand.

"So, some of your cells didn't take that amount of energy too well", Lieutenant Drellik continued. "I do suppose that some were destroyed at once, and some were badly damaged. Not all, mind you, but enough to seriously endanger your health."

Sighing, the assassin shook her head. "In other words, I'm dying, but since I can now officially blame the ghosts, I can at least laugh at them, because they did condemn themselves to an eternity in some uncomfortable places all on their own?"

There it was again, the smile of the scientist who's presented with an interesting problem.

"I suppose you could, my lord. But we could also try to fix the damage… if the theory is correct, of course."

It took some seconds before his words really registered with Raven's brain cells. Or perhaps her chromatic… no… chromotopic… no… _damaged_ brain cells got in the way. But when she understood what Talos was saying, she promptly slid to the ground.

"You can?" she yelped. "Try, I mean? But… how do you fix such damage? Eh, do I even want to know?"

Raven started to love and hate that special scientist smile simultaneously.

"Since you'll probably insist that I speak Basic: We just take a healthy cell, use the undamaged material, and copy it into those damaged cells that actually hurt you."

Fighting what was most certainly a flabbergasted expression on her face, the young Sith decided to do some science courses whenever she'd get any form of free time.

"That's possible?" she asked meekly, and wasn't even surprised when Talos' smile turned slightly condescending.

"Oh my lord, way more primitive cultures than the Empire have mastered that technique", he answered lightly. "Some worlds even invented the basics before space flight. But I can assure you that our current medical programs have extremely improved in terms of fatality rate and ease of use. You are aware of the eugenics program in Imperial Intelligence, correct? That's a fascinating approach to..."

"Um, okay. I do believe you, really. Don't understand it, but believe it."

Looking up, Raven squinted her eyes.

"To sum it up: I can go on and face a manipulated Rakata mutation machine that might melt me into pink goo the moment I enter, or we can return to the ship and you try to science the problem away? As long as the ghosts in my head keep their word and don't hurt me further, that is, but I didn't sense deceit for once, so I'd be ready to risk that."

Now it was Talos' turn to scratch his head.

"Well, I need to check the basic hypothesis, first", he answered, "but if the patterns are there, then I'd suggest going to Nar Shaddaa for the actual procedure. Your cult will have some of the required resources, and we should be able to acquire the remaining parts from official channels or illegal laboratories."

Raven closed her eyes and tried to fight the probably premature feeling of utter relief that flooded her whole mind.

"We do science, not creepy Rakata magic", she decided. It definitely wasn't a difficult choice. "Now, if you can just help me up, I'll grant you the privilege to choose crew desserts for the whole next month, even if it means eating neon-green jelly with chilli-spiced chocolate sauce for what will certainly feel like an eternity."

* * *

 _Belsavis Orbit, Fury, 4 BEA_

"He, Sith, you still look like shi… something that I've scraped from my boots on Tatooine far too often. Wasn't that mystery machine supposed to make everything better? Or do you just need more time to get well again?"

Raven tried to suppress her heavy breathing, while pretending to be confident and in control. Neither worked so well, if Andronikos' expression was any indication.

"Didn't even go there", she answered shortly, but sighed when she felt pure shock. "Look, there's an alternative, and it involves science, not Rakata mystery. If you want details, ask Talos, okay? I need to sit down for a moment."

Just when the assassin had grabbed her blanket again, because she was permanently feeling as if she was freezing now, Ashara peeked into her room.

"Sorry to bother you, master", she whispered, "but we got two priority messages from Dromund Kaas, Citadel. Signature matches the official frequency of the Sphere of Logistics. Messenger said they needed to speak to you, personally. If you're feeling well enough…"

Sphere of Logistics. Raven groaned.

"Blast it. If this is about the guy on Belsavis… I'll take care of it, somehow. Could you tell Andronikos to set a course for Nar Shaddaa, and contact Rylee to ask her to prepare for our arrival? We'll need advanced medical equipment, and probably a map of all black market labs around. Talos should have a list by now."

The young inquisitor waited until her apprentice was gone, then opened a secured connection to the Imperial Citadel. It didn't take long until she got to the correct office.

"Imperial Sphere of Logi… ah, my lord, thanks for returning the call so quickly. I'll put you through right now."

Squinting her eyes, Raven felt as if she'd missed something.

"Wait, what…"

Too late. Any explanation would have to come from the smiling Sith Pureblood with the twinkle in his eyes, who was now staring at the young Sith way more attentively than Raven would have liked.

"If this isn't my favourite Lord of the Sith!" Darth Vowrawn exclaimed, and his expression was as open and unguarded as the deepest and best sheltered vaults of Imperial Intelligence. "Now, my dear, would you mind telling me why you had to scare the Force out of one of my lieutenants on Belsavis? And by the way, you don't look so good. Do you sleep enough? Do you eat your greens? That's really important for humans, apparently…"

Massaging her forehead, Raven was pretty sure that the Dark Councillor was annoying her on purpose.

"Please, I'm sorry about my reaction at the Imperial base", she murmured. "I… wasn't feeling so well."

"I can see that, but surely the security of the Empire…"

A hint of anger was now visible behind the still pleasant expression on the red-skinned face, but the young assassin didn't really care about that any more. There was no point in hiding; Thanaton already knew, and if anything, the information might actually stop Vowrawn from giving her a direct order that she couldn't follow right now.

"I'm still not feeling so well, Darth Vowrawn", the inquisitor answered, and tried to force her throat to cooperate. "I'm sort of…"

"Too busy running aimlessly through the _oh so beautiful nature_?"

"… dying."

Well, Raven thought, at least she'd succeeded in wiping the sneer from the Pureblood's face. The look of utter disbelief did at least appear to be genuine for a change.

"You're kidding."

The young Sith just stared blankly into the holocom, and watched with growing interest as the whole expression and posture of the lord before her crumbled.

"You're kidding", he repeated, suddenly sounding helpless, and Raven even noticed some drops of sweat forming on his skin. The silence stretched for a long second.

"You are not kidding."

The next few words were of a sort which made Raven wonder where the Darth had learned that precise form of ancient Mando'a. He was actually getting a bit… pale.

"Do you have any idea what that means?" Vowrawn finally pressed out. "I mean, first of all, I'm going to die, and second…"

Coughing, Raven lifted a hand.

"Um, I'm not contagious, I think, Darth Vowrawn…"

The Pureblood shot her a look.

"I know, or rather I think so, and please stop that 'Darth' stuff in private. If things had gone just a little bit better for your family, you'd probably call me 'Uncle Vowy' right now. Well, or we would have duelled to the death years ago, one never knows with Sith…"

Astonished, the inquisitor watched the Darth ramble. That was probably a first.

"Anyway", the head of the Sphere of Imperial Logistics continued, "I'm not sure if all Sith around here believe in that charming 'don't kill the messenger' logic your species seems to invoke so often."

"What? My condition is not supposed to become common knowledge!"

Raven didn't even care that she'd probably offended a Darth right now, and Vowrawn didn't act as if he'd taken her exclamation as such. Luckily.

"Not common knowledge, no. Certainly not. _Hells_. Keep it between you and your crew."

Suddenly, the young Sith felt like she was being scanned from head to toes. Which was probably not far from the truth.

"You've got a plan to fix this, right?" the Pureblood asked, and the inquisitor began to notice a hint of true panic in his voice. "You really need to fix this, not just for yourself, you know?"

Finally squinting her eyes, Raven had enough.

"No, I don't know", she hissed back, "because my, what, ' _uncle_ ' is just talking in riddles. Why are you so interested in my welfare all of a sudden? Why does it matter to anyone but me and my crew and… eh, nobody else, whether I make it or not?"

Raven wasn't so sure if mentioning her Jedi sister was such a good idea right now.

Red eyes met blue ones, and the Pureblood slowly regained control of himself.

"It is not my place to tell you", he said, calm again. "But I will tell you something else. Why do you think that the Empire has survived until now? The Emperor has not been concerned with truly governing his worlds for a long, long time. And the Sith… we're not good at trusting. Or cooperating. Or keeping our word. Or governing in general. So why do you think that we are still here? Why hasn't the Republic claimed victory already?"

Blinking, the young Sith frowned.

"Superior firepower? More recklessness on our part? More ruthlessness and cruelty?" she guessed, but Vowrawn only shook his head.

"Those are tools, but not the main reason", he answered. "No, the main reason why the Empire has survived is the fact that there were always some people at key positions who kept some level of sanity, self-discipline, and rationality. Those who know that the Game of Sith is fun, but less so if all your worlds are burning. Even I know the value of cooperation and alliances, now and then. But it's important to keep those with us who support those values, and to find some like-minded powerful new people whenever we get the chance. And that's all I will tell you for now, because I rather enjoy breathing."

"But what…"

"If there is anything I can do to help, ask", Darth Vowrawn stated, and there was still something genuine in his voice. And… sadness. "And don't be concerned about who I will tell, because the knowledge will not spread further than that. But fix this. Not just for you, not just for me, but for the Empire."

And with that, the Darth ended the call, leaving Raven with more questions than answers.

* * *

 _Nar Shaddaa, Strell House, 4 BEA_

Trying to control her fear and failing, Raven looked from her rather uncomfortable place in the centre of some weird machinery to Talos and reminded herself that she trusted her lieutenant implicitly. After spending days with her cult, while Khem, Andronikos and Ashara hunted for the missing components and equipment to build the science-based mystery machine that was supposed to truly heal her, in contrast to the mystery Rakata mutation machine which offered risks on top of more risks, the inquisitor was tired of waiting idly. Still, now that the wait was over, the young Sith suddenly wouldn't have minded to simply do nothing for a little while longer.

"Non-pathological DNA samples identified. Extraction successful. Amplification successful."

Talos bowed forward, holding the assassin's glance with ease.

"The procedure will not take long, my lord, but I will send you to sleep to prevent unnecessary movements", the healer said, and it was his voice and tone more than his words that actually helped Raven to quiet down her rapid heartbeat a little. There was something calm and serene in his expression, a hint of concentration, but no terrible concern.

"Trust in science, and not in the Force for once, my lord", the lieutenant said, the shadow of a smile ghosting around his lips, and with that, Raven's vision blurred and dissolved into nothingness.

* * *

"Hm. Interesting choice. Perhaps a bit stupid. Probably not the best one, but you never took those, and are still alive regardless. Suppose that counts for something."

Blinking, Raven looked up, and saw Horak-Mul. The old Sith appeared to play Pazaak against himself. She couldn't really identify whether he was winning or losing, though.

"Time has less meaning for the dead than the living, but it gets downright boring here, too", he shrugged – the Darth had obviously noticed her staring.

"We should have cut the fangs of those Rakata, slithering snakes in the darkness that they are", another voice hissed from the side, but the assassin concentrated on the figure before her.

"What's happened?" she asked, fearing the worst for a moment. But the Pureblood just waved his hand lazily.

"No, you aren't dead. Just really, really out of it. _Trust_. Pah."

He spat onto the ground, which was quite an accomplishment, given that no true ground existed.

"It is a wonder that nobody has slit your throat yet. Bet you anything that Imperial there doesn't even think about it. Pathetic."

"Perhaps he's going for something more gruesome. That machine has potential", Kalatosh Zavros chimed in, looking far too amused for Raven's taste. The young inquisitor was very happy that Ashara hadn't inherited his sense of humour.

"Be glad that he doesn't wish me harm", she growled, and had rarely been more sure of something. "Otherwise… Do you like the smell of rotting swamp gas, Kalatosh? And Horak-Mul, what about being bored and feeling cold at the same time?"

The old Pureblood just snorted.

"Good. At least you have got some spite in you", he commented offhandedly. "But enough of that. Something happened just now, and you'll wake up soon enough. Leave us in peace."

Looking around, Raven opened her mouth to vent some more… and closed it again, when she felt something new at the sight of the ancient ghosts, caught in their hatred and mistrust, in a realm of fading contours without true light, smell, touch, or any positive emotion.

Pity.

"You promised to respect my privacy", she offered, quietly. "That doesn't mean you've to be stuck down here all the time. Just… knock, okay? When I'm awake. And not directly after I've woken up in the morning.

"We don't need your charity, you wiggling, hissing reptile of torment!"

Shrugging, Raven noticed that the scene before her eyes was starting to blur again. It seemed that she was indeed going to wake up soon.

"Perhaps we don't need it, perhaps we do", her apprentice's ancestor commented, and sounded uncharacteristically thoughtful. "But we most certainly are too proud to ask, regardless."

* * *

"My lord, you are awake! How are you feeling?"

Glad to see the face of a friend instead of the lost Sith Lords of ancient times, Raven focused on her body, and tried to answer Talos' question.

"Not different, really", she sighed. "Does that mean that the machine didn't…"

Some kind of reassuring hum reached her ears, as Lieutenant Drellik checked some charts.

"Oh no, don't you worry", he exclaimed. "Your body still needs time to regenerate. Rebuild lost blood, strengthen muscle tissue… the usual. But the readings look promising. More than just promising, really. From now on, just imagine that you've suffered from a bad case of Bothan Flu, and that you have to recover from the resulting fever. It's not so different, actually…"

Blinking, Raven tried to process the most important statements.

"So I'm going to be fine?" she asked, and didn't care that her voice had a certain tremble in it.

"As good as before, not better, not worse", the scientist answered, again typing something into his datapad. "There was no change to your genetic code, if you're concerned about that…"

But he wasn't able to continue his sentence. Lord Kallig had finally gotten up, and started to hug all Correlian and Chandrilan Hells out of him.

* * *

 _Nar Shaddaa,_ _Strell House_ _, 4 BEA_

The datapad landed on the floor with a loud thud, and Raven tried to suppress a sniff. A second later though, she heard the sound of fast steps on the outside, and a knock on her door that managed to sound urgent.

"Master, are you okay? Are you feeling dizzy again?"

Groaning, the young Sith started to rub her eyes furiously, while her apprentice entered.

"Everything's fine", she finally mumbled. "Just this stupid book here. Not a good story."

Ashara raised an eyebrow, concern replaced by confusion.

"But isn't that one of your favourite series?" she asked, carefully. "That fantasy stuff that you like so much?"

" _Liked_. And it's not really fantasy, but supposed to be simple drama. The authors just don't have the slightest idea about Force powers, or how they work, so it always seems like intentional fantasy elements are added", Raven explained, and felt slightly uncomfortable at her apprentice's grimace.

"So why did you throw it through your quarters? You scared me!"

The young Sith sighed.

"Sorry. Look, it's no big deal", she shrugged, and tried to appear less affected by the book than she truly was. "The authors just made some decisions that I can't understand, and which are really, really not in character for the protagonists. Unless one of the main characters has suddenly turned stupid, naive, and extremely gullible at the same time. Well, either that, or they're just keen on adding needless amounts of drama. It just makes no sense. He could just have asked for her help!"

The young Sith watched, suddenly feeling self-conscious, as Ashara carefully picked up the datapad.

"You're really upset about it", she commented, frowning. "But you are supposed to recuperate, master. Isn't it bad for your health if you get worked up all over nothing?"

Raven blinked.

"They didn't give you many normal books at the Jedi temple, did they?" she asked, suddenly angry at the guardians of the light, and wasn't surprised when the former Padawan shook her head.

"We did read, but always something that would contribute to our education", the Togruta admitted.

"Well, sometimes reading can also be about fun. About seeing other worlds without having to travel. About distractions. Something relaxing and pleasant, you know? Just you, a good book, a nice drink, and some hours of peace and quiet…"

"You're not feeling peace and quiet right now, master. I can see and feel that much."

Raven snorted. That, at least, was definitely true.

"No kidding. And that's why I am mad at the writer team right now."

* * *

 _Nar Shaddaa, Fury, 4 BEA_

After taking care of some smaller problems around her cult's base, Lord Kallig was slowly starting to trust in her own strength again. It really felt like recovering from a bad fever, but the young Sith could tell that her endurance was returning. Stairs didn't form insurmountable obstacles any longer, and the daily sparring sessions with Ashara and Khem Val didn't feel like torture any more. And her confidence was growing along with her physical strength. Even a weird group of cyborg criminals, who called themselves "The Veil" and had scared both Rylee and Destris, were very quick in abandoning all plans to take over her cult after the young Sith had talked to them for a bit. Now, if she could only find a way to stop the war between the Republic and the Empire, and beat Darth Thanaton while doing so, Raven would even allow herself to go on a long vacation for a change.

The assassin had of course called her sister, and even Darth Vowrawn, as soon as she was reasonably sure that she would be fine again. When her datapad picked up a familiar signature in orbit around Nar Shaddaa, and a priority call from the Barsen'thor came in, the inquisitor was still a bit surprised, though, and even more so when Lea insisted to sneak onto the Fury to talk in private.

* * *

"You are really better. Stars", the Jedi muttered, and still looked like she couldn't really believe it.

Clearing her throat quietly, Raven smiled a little lopsidedly.

"I am", she confirmed, "but that won't change if you loosen your hold on my hands for a bit, I promise."

The assassin didn't want to hurt her sister's feelings, but she couldn't feel her fingers any longer.

"Heh. Sorry, sis."

Lea looked around, and turned to Talos, who was just passing through the main deck on his way from the galley.

"You did it", she whispered. "Dr. Drellik. You saved her. I couldn't… The archives on Tython didn't help. Nobody at the temple knew a ritual, or a healing technique. Master Yuon kept me company and helped me search through the most obscure writings, but nothing in there looked even remotely helpful. But you found a way. You did it. Thank you."

In a flash of golden light and bushy hair, the consular was next to him, and before Raven could really understand what was happening, Lea had kissed Talos' cheek.

A moment later, there was a distinct clash, and the scientist's cup was rolling over the floor. Its liquid contents stained his shirt, and Raven only hoped that the tea had already cooled down a bit. Completely flustered, and blushing a spectacular shade of crimson, the lieutenant excused himself to clean up. Trying to suppress a smile of her own, the assassin looked towards her sister, who just shrugged. There was a slight hint of colour on the Jedi's cheeks as well.

"What?" Lea defended herself. "Didn't intend that part with the tea, but I'm relieved that he has a brain and used it, okay? Don't look at me like that, Moira."

Suddenly, the consular turned serious again. She tilted her head, and beckoned Raven to follow her to her own bedroom. As soon as the door had closed, golden eyes stared at the young Sith, and all hints of mirth had left the Jedi's expression.

"You know that I went to Tython", Lea whispered, as if she wasn't physically able to endure the sound of the words that would follow. "You also know that I met with Master Yuon. But there was more. I also met with the grandmaster, and the Hero of Tython."

The Jedi drew a deep, rugged breath, and looked like she was fighting for composure.

"And also with somebody who I'd never thought I'd be speaking to, ever."

Closing her eyes, Lea rested her head on her hands.

"Moira. I have got bad news."

* * *

Author's note: First of all, thank you for the reviews. I know it's been a while; real life plus spoilers for patch 5.4 had something to do with that. Not happy about that add-on, true. This story is supposed to finish with KotFE's final battle on Odessen, but a possible sequel might see significant changes for that whole Iokath quest chain.

One thing about Koth, though, since it came up: While there are things about him that I don't like, especially his hero worship for Valkorion (that suddenly seems to vanish in KotET), I do like the fact that he doesn't just agree with anything a dark-side character does, and acts accordingly.


	24. Cademimu

_Dromund Kaas, Citadel, Intensive Care Section, 28 BEA_

 _A standard kolto tank costs about 250.000 credits, and this is an advanced version, which is probably more expensive._

 _A standard kolto tank costs about 250.000 credits, and Serpentis is unlikely to just ignore property damage in this price class._

 _A standard kolto tank costs about 250.000 credits, and if somebody was stupid enough to make that thing explode from the inside on purpose, that somebody would be likely to break some bones when they were flushed out with the shards._

Repeating that mantra all over again in her head, Victoria hammered both of her hands against the emergency release button of the tank, but to her personal disappointment, the level of kolto was sinking only slowly. She'd seriously need to have a word with the incapable dimwit who'd constructed that line of obnoxious machines.

 _A standard kolto tank costs about 250.000 credits…_

The young assassin ripped the oxygen mask from her face, and pressed her full weight against the upper part of her translucent prison, hoping to make it open more swiftly. Some remnants of her long-forgotten sanity tried to remind her that she was in this device for a reason, but with her mind completely short-circuited by the words she'd heard just a minute ago, Darth Ignus was in no place to listen to anything that resembled logic.

Red emergency lights came to life everywhere around her, and more than just one alarm shrilled as the tank finally opened, which caused Victoria to land on the ground in an undignified heap of quavery, shaky limbs and slippery kolto puddles. Not only one or two, but five doctors in the uniforms of the Sphere of Mysteries came running into the room, presumably warned by her own master that their current patient was not of the patient sort, and the inquisitor smelled narcotics. Even in her current state, this sight made the young Darth smile grimly – she always appreciated it when an opponent tried to be clever, but failed spectacularly instead.

One simply shouldn't bring a syringe to a Force fight.

Aware that those unfortunate men and women were her allies, and likely genuinely concerned for her health and well-being, the young Sith didn't fight to kill. She just filled the medics' minds with static and the strong wish to go to sleep, and managed to lift herself up from the floor when the team of doctors slowly sank to the ground on the other side of the room. Without sparing them or the flashing alarms so much as another look, Victoria grasped some necessary items, and struggled to keep herself on her feet while half-sliding, half-slipping towards the door. Wherever this mess was going, she wasn't about to face the consequences without a lightsaber within her reach. And she was most definitely not going to allow the blasted black creator of this mess to get away without any of those consequences at all, either.

As the young Darth approached the door, while feeling weirdly light-headed, more people entered. This time, most of them were regular guards from her own sphere, but they met the same fate as their medical colleagues. Trying valiantly not to step on their splayed extremities, Victoria finally reached the end of the room, and leaned onto the door frame for a second to catch her breath.

A well-known presence, in the Force, before her, around her. Cold, but not deadly. An aura like dark ice-cold flames, visible to her mind's eyes with perfect clarity, despite the number of walls that separated them.

Still close.

Still within reach.

Surrounding herself with a shell of fierce determination, Darth Ignus smelled warm kolto when she started to run after her black-armoured brother-in-arms, personal nightmare, occasional saviour, emotional punching ball, and other things she hadn't even words for. She strongly doubted that there was one single fitting word in Basic which covered everything that she felt. But, unfortunately, Victoria realized that there was indeed one word that came close, and that little combination of letters scared her more than the prospect of having to face both Vodal Kressh and his beautiful beast of tremendous terror simultaneously.

So Darth Ignus limped through the Sphere of Mysteries' corridors as swiftly as she was able to, all the way blinking away funny multi-coloured sparkles at the edge of her slightly blurry vision, while trying not to think too much for fear of what she might discover within the depths of her own mind, and sleeping guards and little seas of near-boiling kolto marked her way.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, Central Hall, 28 BE_

The Citadel's main hall. Swirling light, sounds, fresh air. People. Force emanations everywhere.

All overpowered and drowned out by the one calm, dark presence before her.

Victoria squinted her eyes, feeling weirdly light-headed again, and pulled heavily on the Force to give her voice more weight, and to keep herself on her feet while she was at it. There were still dots, stars and something resembling dancing Alderaanian sunflowers covering those parts of her vision that she wasn't actively focusing on, though.

"Don't even think about taking another step", she threatened darkly, and was surprised that she sounded vaguely like her master when the old lord reprimanded somebody – albeit with an unfortunate echo of squeaking kolto from under her bare toes.

The black figure before her did indeed stop, and turned to face her. Victoria felt the full attention of the lord in front of her again for what was at least the second time that day, but she was way too far gone to allow that to distract her. An unhealthy mix of complete surprise, hope, heartache, and fury, a shadow of doubt regarding her own ears and memory, and a resulting mix of exuberant indignation, frustration, and the dire need to stop herself from making the most ridiculous nerf eyes that the galaxy had ever seen at the Darth before her distracted her from closing her mind, but that didn't matter, as she didn't intend to mince her words in the slightest.

"Did you really think you could just leave like that?" the young Darth hissed, a growl at the back of her throat, and realised that she had burst into flames again when she smelt burned kolto. Dimly aware that all other Force echoes around her quickly gained more distance, while the strange images at the corner of her eyes increased in brightness, she focused her own attention on the single, calm sea of darkness which stood in front of her, tall and unmoving, arms neatly folded behind his back, and masked head tilted slightly.

The resulting silence drowned out all other sounds in the vicinity. Perhaps even the universe itself held its breath – Victoria wouldn't have been surprised.

"If I had indeed suffered from this misconception, I would surely stand corrected now", Fortis finally retorted, and the young assassin was simultaneously relieved and more infuriated by the controlled, but also slightly amused answer. There were hints of other emotions that she felt through the Force, but in her current state of mind, Darth Ignus had no mental capacities left for interpretation.

"You black-armoured, observant, sneaky…"

"Darth Ignus…"

"… calm, cunning, conniving…"

 _"Darth Ignus."_

"… astute, insufferable, tricky…"

"Victoria."

The young Sith blinked, confused. Her head felt strange again. Rainbow-coloured flower petals rained down through her vision.

"Uh, yes?" she asked, finally pulled out of her rant, and realized that the heavily armoured figure before her had done something with his datapad before taking a step towards her position.

"This may not be the best time and place for such a talk", Fortis commented, and his voice sounded a little bit strained. But from what, the young inquisitor couldn't even begin to guess.

"And why not?" Victoria demanded, and folded her arms in front of her chest. Despite her demonstration of resolve, she was slightly worried at the level of incredulous exasperation that she sensed. More colourful forms floated the edges of her vision, and she pondered looking at them for a moment, but decided that the spiky shadow before her was far more attractive.

"First, because you were severely hurt and still need to recover. This also includes the side effects of the grade five sedatives that were included in your kolto tank's oxygen supply, but which appear to show a number of undocumented side-effects on you. Second, because about one hundred and fifty people try to watch and listen at this moment, which does not translate as an adequate level of privacy", the Sith warrior answered, still with his trademark calm. "And third, because you are still wearing nothing but a set of military underwear and the contents of three standard packages of kolto on your body, which _might_ not be the most ideal attire right now."

Hm. Not likely, but perhaps...

Victoria tilted her head as well, while thinking about the last part for a second. Her short-time memory was currently not sufficient to recall the beginning of Fortis' whole explanation. And some of the words that he had used had been way too long and complicated for her brain to process. Then she shrugged slightly.

"Do you really think that somebody around here does actually care?" the assassin asked, doubting Fortis' assessment of the situation for once. "I mean, we are not on Tython, correct? No Sith that I know would be so much of a prude to get bothered by the sight of some bare skin."

Force-echoes of an astounding level of disbelief hit her, which somehow told the inquisitor that she might have misinterpreted Fortis' words.

"I do not assume that somebody is bothered", the Darth corrected her, with a certain level of strain now clearly audible in his ice-cold voice. "But I do assume that everybody in this hall is enjoying the current… _scenery_ … far too much."

Victoria allowed her head to fall back and laughed loudly. The movement caused her head to feel even more dizzy, but it also made the newly appeared sparkles behind her eyes move in more interesting ways. There was a small pull at the bond which connected her to the black-armoured lord in front of her, which spoke of worry about her mental health, but the young Sith decided to ignore it.

"Seriously? Well, let them enjoy the show. I'll just analyse the security feeds and kill all the culprits afterwards."

Another thought hit her, and made her grin like a maniac, while the last of her brain cells that had survived thus far waved a final good-bye and left in another explosion of red, yellow and blue glowing bubbles.

"Wait. _Everybody_ in this room?"

Again, a moment of silence. But whatever else Fortis might or might not be, he was certainly not a coward.

"Everybody", he confirmed, curtly, but with an undercurrent of gravestone echoes that somehow encouraged Victoria's grin to grow even wider. Like a predator stalking her prey, the young Sith focused all of her senses on the black figure before her, noticing every reflection on the armour, every hint of visible body language, every quiet sound of measured breaths through the funny buzz that filled her ears with previously unheard harmonics.

The staggering assassin took one step towards her companion, and wondered for a second why the ground was suddenly moving in small waves.

"Take your mask off", she ordered, while squinting her eyes so strongly that most of the sparkling stars and flowers disappeared. When Fortis didn't comply at once, the inquisitor growled impatiently.

"I'm not going to break your neck", Victoria clarified, while wondering whether she really had to specify that fact or not. "Maybe break your nose or something, not sure yet. Probably not even that. Frankly, I had something else in mind entirely. So unless you fancy traces of kolto all over your mask, I suggest you hurry."

For some reason or another, the black looming figure before her didn't seem to be convinced. On the contrary, there was suddenly a feeling of a more pronounced, deep cold around her.

"You are suffering from medication side effects, which obviously include a complete loss of self-control, and probably hallucinations. I am not going to take advantage of that."

Something about the vehemence of those words got the young Darth's attention. Watching the dark figure before her, while absently-mindedly waving some more sparkles away, Victoria felt more of the glittering excitement in her head bleed into stale disappointment with each passing second.

Rejection hurt, no matter the phrasing.

Wait.

Empathy reviewed the most recent memories, nudged her rising bitterness, and whispered something through her malfunctioning neurons.

Darth Ignus blinked through the flashing shooting stars before her eyes, and noticed that the red glow that had surrounded her was forming a neat circle around both herself and the Darth in front of her. The curtain of crimson fire obscured everything outside, and the cracking of the flames blocked all sounds of the outer world. For how long had this shelter been in place? The young Sith couldn't even begin to guess.

"That's… well. That's actually pretty sweet, if I think about it", Victoria stated truthfully, and watched interestedly as Fortis visibly called on the Force while clenching his fists. She was dimly aware that it might be the most reasonable course of action to stop talking right now, but Lord Kell had rarely chosen the path of sanity.

"If the circumstances were different, would your response be different as well?" she asked, point-blank, and stared curiously into unmoving, black steel, while sensing a number of different emotions through the Force. Frustration was definitely among them.

But there was no mistaking the calm, controlled movement of the black mask that was directed at her, forming a clear nod. Slowly, gently, Victoria started to smile.

 _"Darth Ignus."_

One of the basic rules of the universe states that if there is a less-than-perfect moment for an interruption in a given interval of time, a superior will use that precise point to make an appearance. Victoria acknowledged this fact, but didn't appreciate it, as she looked into the red eyes of her master. If she wasn't mistaken, Serpentis was not amused, and despite the colourful flashes before her own eyes, the young Sith was relatively sure of her assessment of the situation.

"Don't force me to promote myself", she advised pleasantly, and gave the old Darth a friendly smile. But for some reason or another, the wrinkled face remained set in stone.

"Stupid. Foolish. _Reckless_. You should be in the kolto baths, apprentice, not… doing… whatever _this_ is supposed to be", her master snapped, and Victoria suddenly felt like she was back on Korriban, and being reprimanded by her first instructor for whirling through a horde of tuk'ata without killing the beasts properly.

"I…"

Lord Kell wasn't even sure how to explain her current predicament, or what had lead to it, but the Force aura of her fuming master left little doubt about the fact that she didn't want to listen to excuses right now.

"Shut. Up. Little. Dragon. _Hatchling_."

Serpentis' glaring eyes squinted, which made Victoria feel very small.

"What were you thinking? Were you even thinking? What if some assassin had picked this moment to take a shot at you?"

Frowning, the young inquisitor patted the silvery metal at her hips.

"Portable shield generator. And I picked my lightsaber, too", she answered, proudly. Did her master truly believe that she was that daft? Victoria decided that she didn't really want to know.

"I am a responsible adult", she boasted instead, trying to get her point across, and was distracted again by more of the multi-coloured shooting stars and bubbles before her eyes. The resulting silence made her look up once more, though, which allowed her to see an expression of priceless incredulity on the pale, leathery, wrinkled face before her. And when Serpentis' eyes slowly started to glow in a very vivid crimson, the young assassin suddenly wished to hide under the floor plates.

According to another basic rule of the universe, convenient distractions never happen when somebody desperately wishes for them. But apparently Darth Fortis was either not aware of these rules, some part of Victoria's brain supplied, or he simply didn't care, as he stepped between the two bickering Sith inquisitors without hesitation. Victoria took a deep breath.

"I did provoke Darth Ignus' actions. Berating her now is not..."

 _"Stop being so trice-damned noble!"_

The young assassin closed her mouth again when she realized that her words had possessed an exact echo. Peaking around Fortis' shoulder at her master, whose eyes showed her regular dark-red again, and nothing but utter surprise on her corrupted features, with her mouth still open from her own exclamation, the younger Sith finally lost it. Laughing until her ribs hurt, Victoria felt the flames around her fade into nothingness, and she didn't protest in the slightest when her master reached towards her with the Force, lifted her up unceremoniously, and towed her away towards the Sphere of Mysteries' chambers. There was probably a kolto tank, a Force-dampening collar, and likely also a straitjacket waiting somewhere inside, the young Darth realized with a shrug, but she couldn't stop herself from grinning when she looked over her shoulder once more.

Behind her, a dark figure slowly shook its head.

* * *

 _Dromund Kaas, Citadel, Intensive Care Section, 28 BEA_

When Victoria woke up, she couldn't shake the feeling that quite a lot of time had passed since she'd entered the healing depths of the kolto tank. The room outside was dark, representing the typical night-mode in the Imperial Citadel. She wasn't so sure what had happened before, though, and dedicated some mental capacities to go through her slightly muddled memories. There had been a mission, that much was for certain. And she had been hurt. The young Sith shivered involuntarily at the memory of blood-red earth and an ancient tomb, of giant teeth and dark-side powers. She'd tried to fight Fortis after that, because he'd seemed to attack her. Emphasis was on 'tried', not 'fight', though, and in the end, her companion's actions had saved her from a fate worse than death. Blushing and smiling when she recalled what would have been a small mission debriefing under different circumstances, Darth Ignus felt a pleasant warmth flow through her veins at the realisation that her stoic ally actually cared about her.

Yes. 'Care' was a nice word. A good word. A positive, easy word. It wasn't as scary as some alternatives that sometimes whispered through her mind, and yet it reflected parts of the warm feeling which filled her stomach.

Good. She would allow herself to care, too. She would do it. Really. It couldn't be too difficult, after all; random people seemed to do it all the time. She was Sith, for crying out loud. She could do _anything_. And there were worse words out there. Although, if she was completely honest with herself, even 'care' frightened her a bit. But she would not run. Sith did not run. Sith concentrated on their passion to gain strength, and used the resulting power to get what they wanted. And here, in the security and privacy of her own mind, Victoria could confess to herself that she wanted more than her usual… adventures with other Sith or visiting Mandalorians. Fooling around with some random guy or two just didn't appeal to her any more, and that trend might even have started around the time when she'd met the black-clad warrior for the first time. Probably not a complete coincidence, that much she had to admit.

Sighing, the inquisitor leaned her cheek against the steady side-wall of the kolto tank she was floating in, and tried to calm her rapid heartbeat. Her inner monologue sounded a bit crazy, even to her own ears. Closing her eyes again, the young Sith relaxed into the kolto. While or after talking to her ally, who'd started to mean a little more to her over the course of the past years, she'd entered the soothing depths of the medical tank...

And then… well...

Victoria frowned, deeply, as she recalled what must have been three hells of a nightmare. Shaking her head at her own subconscious creativity, she even chuckled at the idea of running after Fortis in nothing more but underwear and kolto, to… to do whatever her dream-mind had wanted to do. The young Sith supposed that she had simply intended to kiss the black-armoured Darth, but wasn't sure, and the dream seemed to have transformed into one of their usual shouting matches instead. With more emotions, though. Plus, her dream-mind had even thought of a cute explanation for the fact that she still didn't know what kissing Fortis actually felt like. But did the dream really stop there? Other dream fragments wove through the young Sith's mind, older or recent recollections of images that had made her plunge her head into ice-cold water afterwards.

Fighting against a blush, Victoria leaned back again. That first, more harmless lack of knowledge was something she couldn't and wouldn't simply ignore. Stealth, perception, creative thinking… all those skills that she'd been trained in as an assassin would likely serve her well in this new, personal mission, too. She'd deal with the more advanced gaps in her knowledge afterwards. And even if the Darth wasn't interested in the same way, it would be okay in time. For once, the young Sith was really confident about that.

Darth Ignus spent what was probably some more hours simply floating in the green liquid around her, thinking about nothing in particular, and just enjoyed the rare feeling of deep contentment within her. Once she thought that she'd felt something cool and familiar through the Force, as if somebody, or rather a certain somebody, had called upon its powers close to her position, but since Victoria didn't sense any danger, she simply stayed within the tank and waited. If something required her attention, someone would surely come and inform her about it.

* * *

Some time later, Victoria woke up once more. She dimly recalled dozing off, and that yet another medic had checked on her once or twice, but now the light in the room was bright again, and none other than her own master was standing at a console and scanning through the displays. Smiling fondly at the sight, and touched that the old Darth would check on her personally, the young Sith nudged Serpentis through the Force, and waved happily from inside the tank, as red eyes found hers. After swiftly scrolling through some readouts, the old assassin moved over, gesticulated towards the release controls of the tank with a questioning glance, and started the corresponding sequence when Victoria nodded in agreement.

As soon as the sinking kolto levels allowed it, the inquisitor took off her oxygen mask and breathed deeply. She couldn't wait to walk through real, fresh air again, but even the medical station's filtered atmosphere was better than that tank stuff.

"Thank you, my master", Darth Ignus smiled, and heard the same warmth that she was feeling echoing through her words. "I'm feeling way better now. But I tell you, being overrun by a charging rancor would probably have been more comfortable than facing Fortis in combat…"

Yawning, Victoria noticed that her master did indeed smile, but still eyed her somewhat curiously. Well, being enigmatic and mysterious was sort of a requirement for the leader of the Sphere of Mysteries, so the younger woman didn't worry too much about it.

"Do you remember anything about the last two days, young dragon?" her master asked softly after a second, and the inquisitor tilted her head, as understanding dawned on her.

"Oh, don't worry, Dark Lord", she smiled, trying to set the old assassin's mind at ease. "I recall the fight, but also the explanation afterwards. I'm not mad at our mutual ally any more, but grateful. Do you think he's still somewhere around? I'd really like to talk to him some more, if it's possible."

From what she felt through the Force, the Sith Lord had likely left the planet some time ago, presumably to resolve another crisis or conquer another planet, but it couldn't hurt to ask. Simply doing nothing for what must have been days wasn't the warrior's style, though, so the assassin wasn't that surprised when her master shook her head.

"Sorry, young dragon, but Fortis got an emergency call from an old ally some hours ago", the ancient master answered slowly. "He has already left Dromund Kaas on his destroyer, but plans to confer with some representatives of the Sphere of Imperial Intelligence on Ziost before starting his rescue mission to Cademimu, so you still have time to join in if you want to. Darth Fortis actually asked me to ask you for assistance, but only if you are feeling completely fine again."

Victoria didn't have the faintest idea about what or where exactly Cademimu was, but didn't care about the details. She felt fine, well-rested, awake, and full of energy, and her ally had the tendency to find interesting missions wherever he went. But she'd have been happy to offer her help even if his mission had exclusively consisted of reading all books in her master's library backwards, too.

"Sure", the younger Sith nodded, and stretched like a big jungle cat. "Just give me some ration bars, and I'm good to go. Well, and a swift shower. And some clothes, at least. I don't really want to run around splattering kolto all over the floor."

That nightmare of her had really been ridiculous.

Unreadable red eyes met hers, though, and Victoria was suddenly glad that she hadn't felt the tell-tale pull within her mind that she always got when her master read her thoughts.

"Glad to hear it, young dragon", Serpentis finally answered. "I'll see to it that your new armour will be waiting for you afterwards. Remnants of your old one still cover Athiss' surface, I suppose, and the set that you picked for your promotion has finally been crafted, checked, and approved by security."

The old master paused for a second, and there was a strange, half-amused crimson glow in her red eyes that felt eerily familiar all of a sudden.

"And Darth Ignus? Please remember to really put your armour on this time, before running after your friend _again_ , will you?"

Victoria had already opened her mouth to thank her master for her precious and useful gift once more, when her words registered, and realization caused the young Sith to freeze completely.

 _Hells_.

* * *

 _Imperial Hangar, Ziost_ _Orbital Station Aurek_ _, 28 BEA_

In hindsight, Victoria had no idea how she had managed to actually take the requested shower, put on her new armour, pick up some provisions, and reach her shuttle without simply combusting on the spot. She'd even managed to program the correct course into the nav console, eaten a ration bar without throwing up afterwards, and spent the remainder of the journey with trying to somehow reduce the spectacular blush that covered her face. Unfortunately yet predictably, her efforts had been futile, though.

The only good thing about this situation was that it couldn't be physically possible to feel more awkward than she did right now, so even talking to Fortis again was unlikely to kill her through sheer mortification – or at least the young Sith really, really hoped so.

Stalling wouldn't help, so Victoria activated her holocom and winced as she caught a glimpse of her face in a random reflection. If she added some nasal ridges and ridiculous gold ornaments to her face, she could perfectly pass as a Sith Pureblood right now.

"Darth Ignus."

Oh. Right. She had activated her communicator. Taking a deep breath and hoping that her voice would sound remotely normal, the young Sith focused on the familiar dark mask before her. Just a normal greeting, that was all that was required in this situation. There was no need for hasty apologies, or panicked questions about what exactly it was that she had said, or done, or tried to do, or explanations about Serpentis' side-effect-rich sedatives, or…

Hells. That mask really didn't look too bad.

But she still sort of wanted to remove it.

"Darth Ignus. Is something wrong?"

Opening and closing her mouth like a Manaan Scale Fish on dry ground, Victoria simply wasn't able to form any sound at all. Her face likely spoke volumes, though, for Fortis just tilted his head, and the hint of worry that the young Sith had felt through the Force passed, replaced by what might indeed be understanding.

Hopefully just about the embarrassment part.

"Victoria. I am on my way to hangar Dorn, and would like to speak with you. This is a request, though, not an order."

Nodding mutely, the inquisitor deactivated the line, and massaged her temple. Apparently she had been wrong; she was indeed feeling more mortified than before.

* * *

Through passion, strength. Through passion, strength. Through passion, strength…

Since she'd already docked in the neighbouring hangar, Victoria had reached the special prototype section way before her dark-armoured ally. This gave her plenty of time for pacing, but didn't provide her with a clue on how to best approach any of the topics that had simply jammed and blocked her throat about ten minutes ago. She finally decided to stop agonizing about it, and to go with her instincts, as she normally did. Those had gotten her into this trouble after all, so they might as well resolve the aftermath, too.

The door opened, but Darth Ignus didn't need to see the distinct, spiky outline of her ally to know that Fortis was there; she had felt his presence approach her position for the whole time.

Through passion, strength.

"I'm sorry", Victoria stated, but had finally regained enough control over her voice to not blurt the words out in record time. Arms folded neatly behind her own back, she did her best to appear more confident than she was, while taking care to avoid any aggressive moves. The last thing that she needed right now was a fight, no matter the reason. "I did say some things that I didn't mean to the last time that we spoke, and I wish to apologize for those."

Trying not to flinch as the Darth came nearer, the young inquisitor was sort of relieved that Fortis stayed well out of her personal space. She was suddenly reminded of the start of a duel, where both combatants gauged each other's capabilities – just with a noticeable lack of lightsabers. Since Victoria had raised her mental shields again, she couldn't feel her companion's emotions, but if she wasn't mistaken, he did move a hint more slowly, more carefully than usually.

"Victoria", the Dark Lord greeted, and the following moments seemed to stretch as the warrior seemed to ponder about the best way to phrase his answer.

"What exactly is it that you are sorry about?" Fortis finally asked, and a nearly inaudible hint of hesitation convinced the inquisitor that he was genuinely curious, and not trying to rub some crumbs of Phobium into open wounds.

Preparing for the worst, Victoria filled her lung with air, and did her best to quench the small red flames that had already started to play around her armour.

"I actually don't know for sure", she confessed, and clenched her teeth. "My memories are sort of confusing, and full of colourful lights and sparkles. My master said that these were caused by the sedatives the medics used to keep me calm; if she wasn't kidding, that stuff is usually used to put pet rancors to sleep when they need to get their claws sharpened. Apparently, those didn't really work as intended due to my toxin resistance."

"That is highly plausible."

There was another of those long, awkward moments, as Fortis again searched for the right words.

"What else did Serpentis tell you? And what do you remember?"

Trying not to make a face, the young Darth readied herself to suffer through the toe-curling memories again.

"I recall running after you, insulting you, and getting reprimanded", she summarized shortly. "And I think something that you said made me laugh, though likely for the wrong reasons. That's all that I can remember with sufficient clarity. Security feeds aren't very helpful, because they only show a wall of red fire. Serpentis herself could only tell me that you signalled her, and that she dragged me to the next kolto tank as soon as she was able to."

Clearing her throat and trying to keep her composure, Victoria forced herself to keep looking at the black figure before her.

"She might also have mentioned something about an extraordinarily goofy grin on my face", she coughed, fighting against another obstruction in her throat, "so I sort of expect the worst for the time in between."

Through passion, strength. Victoria threw an arch of lightning at the security cameras, and made a mental note to reimburse Imperial Intelligence afterwards.

"Did I kiss you?" she asked, bluntly, deciding to start with the most harmless episode of what had hopefully only been a spectacularly crazy nightmare-dream-wish mixture, and heard the metal around her fingers screech as they pressed into her palms. The answer, at least, came promptly.

"You did not. You mentioned something about maybe wanting to break my nose, though."

Laughing with the deepest relief, Victoria felt the tension in her muscles lessen profoundly.

"Oh thank the stars", she exclaimed, because she really hadn't been that sure about anything any more, especially about some other, more explicit mental images that came afterwards. Probably her more detailed memories were correct, then, despite all the rainbow bubbles and moving shooting stars that obscured them. Ripping off Fortis' mask and kissing all three hells out of him might have been funny enough, but the images definitely didn't stop there, and _that_ would have been a little bit too much, even for her own questionable tactfulness. Well, at least in public. Besides, it would definitely pain her to have kissed the black-armoured warrior, only to have no clear recollection of it afterwards. "I'm sorry about threatening to break your nose, then. And the insults."

"Understood."

Victoria blinked, confused. Fortis' tone had been calm and neutral, as usually, but she'd half-believed to sense… an echo of something through the Force for a moment. Something unhappy.

"There is no need for apologies, Darth Ignus", the warrior continued, voice without any noticeable emotion once more. "Now, there is an issue with the planet Cademimu for which I would like to request your help."

Confused about the sudden change of topic, but somehow glad that the conversation had reached safer ground way sooner than expected, Victoria shrugged.

"My pleasure", she nodded, and gesticulated towards the spacecraft behind her. "I suppose the mission to Cademimu is about stealth, and definitely urgent? If there is no need for my SP droids, then we should probably just board this prototype stealth fighter, and you can brief me on the details while we travel."

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Imperial Prototype Stealth Shuttle_ _,_ _Hidden Landing Place,_ _28 BEA_

"Does Darth Vowrawn have a death wish?!"

Privately wondering whether Fortis was simply messing with her, Victoria stared at the black mask in front of her incredulously. But if both the tone and the posture of the warrior really did speak of anything, it was definitely not amusement.

"You seriously want to tell me that the Dark Councillor infiltrated this political powder keg of a Republic planet with a handful of equally crazy apprentices and followers, posed as a loyal Cademiman, spread unrest, encouraged covertly the secession movement, distributed anti-Republic propaganda, and all that while hiding in the shadows himself, because the presence of a Sith Pureblood just might have caused some people to become suspicious?"

"Indeed."

The young Sith squinted her eyes at her companion, gauging his reactions. The last hours made her think. Fortis must be more concerned than she had previously thought likely; he'd readily provided all relevant mission details, plus a short description of the Darth they were about to rescue, but he'd kept his silence otherwise. All her attempts at making small-talk during their journey to the Cademimu system had only resulted in having the warrior answer in monosyllables. Slightly annoyed by this sudden change in attitude, the inquisitor shook her head.

"So now the corrupt governor has taken control of Cademimu's missiles, effectively stealing the 'war-chest of the Outer Rim' from under the Pubs' noses, and endangered the Republic hold on all the surrounding systems?"

"Correct."

"Which means that we can just sneak in, take that Darth out of the line of fire, either destroy or conquer the defensive batteries' control centre, and thumb our noses at the fuming Coruscant Senate, while your fleet takes the helpless sector."

"Agreed."

Trying not to burst into flames again, the young Sith did her best to control her expression. This was getting more ridiculous by the minute.

"Unless the governor manages to ready his stockpile of missiles first, and shoots your ships out of orbit once they arrive", she continued lightly. "Or unless his private army catches us, and schedules our public execution. That would be a tiny bit embarrassing."

Oh. Unless the inquisitor was mistaken, there were dark icicles growing on the ground before her.

"They won't."

Two words, at least. Still didn't feel like true progress, though.

Breathing deeply, Victoria tried to calm herself enough to stop herself from simply shaking her companion out of sheer frustration. What in all three hells had suddenly gotten into him…

Blast it.

The young Sith closed her eyes for a moment, as the flames that had already engulfed her hands went out again.

"Hey", she tried to comfort, and put a certain amount of warmth into her voice, which did require surprisingly little effort. "We'll get your friend out of there. I'm sure of it. And we will teach this governor guy a little unpleasant lesson. For the Empire."

Victoria reached out through the Force, wishing to offer solace, to provide comfort beyond simple words, but hit such a mental wall of dark ice that thrusting her bare hands into the depths of space might have been more pleasant in comparison.

 _Men_.

For all the Sith philosophy about embracing feelings and drawing strength from emotions, most did show an eerie resemblance to the proverbial taciturn, gruff icetromper herders of Ilum when it came to personal worries, no matter the species. And that was not a compliment.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Streets_ _,_ _28 BEA_

After sneaking through one of Cademimu Five's residential districts for what felt like a small slice of eternity, descending to further streets with the help of the longest and most impractical open elevator that she had ever seen, and scoffing at the governor's blaring propaganda loudspeakers in between, Victoria was quite sure that she would never pick this blasted red-clouded city for a vacation willingly. The whole atmosphere was similar to Nar Shaddaa, but during a severe depression, and none of the civilians that she spotted seemed to be particularly happy to be here. None of the troopers patrolling the streets did, either, but unfortunately the mission parameters didn't allow the young Sith to put any of the Cademimans out of their collective misery for now.

And the deadly quiet, looming black shadow behind her did not help at all. Other than short tactical comments regarding their route, Fortis had not spoken a single word, and whatever bond existed between them through the Force did not convey anything but controlled cold. Perhaps it was wise to hurry; if they needed any more time to save the pureblooded Darth they had come for, Victoria was seriously afraid to get some frostbite.

"Darth Ignus. The distress signal originates from this building. Go and crack the security systems, while I distract the guards. This should provide you with an opportunity to retrieve the Darth."

Nodding mutely, since she wasn't about to argue with Fortis when he stalked around like a two metres tall black mobile iceberg that had been steeped in triple-distilled hatred by an especially creative barkeeper, the young Sith released her companion out of the protective darkness around them, and slipped deeper into the shadows herself.

When this was over, she needed a drink. Or ten. And she might just challenge the black, moody piece of scrap metal to a small training duel to get all the frustration out of her system.

Sneaking towards the entrance with its guards and security consoles, Victoria was suddenly and violently startled by a tremendous crash somewhere close to her left side, where Fortis had been just a moment ago. Horrified, she whirled around, but noticed at once that there was no need to worry. Well, at least not for her. The Sith warrior had simply lifted one of the parking shuttles through the Force, thrown it through the next Ceraglass window front with no consideration of the troops behind said glass, conjured a Force Storm that dwarfed the resulting explosions, and proceeded to dissect the unlucky survivors with his Force powers and his blood-red lightsaber.

Shuddering at the feeling of true darkness so close by, Victoria was partly glad that Fortis got the chance to vent some of his tension, but equally happy that she had a good excuse to leave the scene. She sprinted towards the entrance, where a short-time blackout had rendered all security systems inoperable for the moment, and opened her mind to the expected allied dark-side aura within the building.

There it was. Fighting against the oppressive cold darkness that she could still sense from the outside, Victoria adjusted her mind's eye towards the unknown presence, and hurried through the building, wondering that Fortis must have been way more upset than she had previously thought.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Guard Headquarters_ _,_ _28 BEA_

"Purge the entire building."

"But, Sir…"

"Silence! These orders come directly from Governor Choranov. The attack outside is just further proof that the traitor hides here, directly under our noses. Perhaps they even sent that encrypted message from here. This violation of a Cademiman Guard Outpost can not be allowed to continue. Droids, activate Thesh Protocol! Let nobody else survive."

"Understoo..."

Privately musing that those guards were indeed ruthless enough to make it on Korriban, Victoria treated both of the Cademiman Elites to a taste of their own medicine. She struck both of them down from the shadows with ease, but was too late to stop the activation of the automated defence units that popped out of the walls everywhere. Pondering which kind of person did not only order to build turrets, but also mobile killer robots into the walls of their base, Darth Ignus side-stepped something that looked suspiciously like an older HK model, and ran deeper into the base, always following the faint Force call that she sensed.

* * *

Diving headlong over yet another pile of Cademiman corpses, which consisted of both civilians and regular guards from the looks of it, Victoria ripped two turrets from the wall in front of her, and crashed another HK model next to her unceremoniously into the ceiling, before sliding into the adjacent hall in a puddle of blood and motor oil. She was bleeding from about four minor wounds, her head hurt enough to make her even forget most of her personal worries, and she really wished by now that she'd brought her own loyal droid army, but the young Darth had finally reached her target. A number of people in regular guard uniforms were hiding behind some toppled tables, and the only other person still left standing was just shooting lightning at a giant, shielded, powerful elimination droid.

Not about to allow that machine to roast her targets directly before her eyes, the inquisitor phased towards it, and introduced the business end of her emergency vibroblade to its most vulnerable-looking circuits. After the near-fiasco on Colla IV, where another giant droid had proven to be surprisingly lightsaber-resistant with its shields up, she virtually went nowhere without it – with the possible exception of her personal shower, but even there, it was always close by. Exhaling heavily in relief when the machine went down promptly, the assassin turned towards the figure who had just called on the dark side of the Force. If there wasn't another undercover Sith agent in this building, she had likely found her mark.

Darth Ignus knew better than to simply let down her guard, though. She switched to her lightsaber without pause, and motioned the guy to take off his helmet. But when he complied instantly, and revealed the very same Sith Pureblood face that she had seen on the holos on her way to Cademimu, Victoria finally allowed herself to relax for a second. Still...

"Identify yourself", she ordered, wanting to make extra sure that this wasn't a ruse, and felt for disturbances in the Force that might warn her if the Pureblood was lying. The amount of open relief that she sensed eased her suspicions, though.

"Darth Vowrawn, at your service", the Sith before her all but sang, and took a little formal bow that looked quite ridiculous in his borrowed guard attire. "Your willing rescuee, should you happen to be our brave rescuer in this hour of need, oh beautiful, mysterious stranger."

Perfectly aware that it would be a grave mistake to underestimate any Dark Councillor, no matter the nonsense or antics they may spout, Victoria looked deeper, and saw keen eyes staring at her. Their curious, guarded glint did not match his slightly oafish smile at all.

"Darth Ignus", the young inquisitor introduced herself curtly, and touched her datapad without breaking eye contact. "Here with Darth Fortis, responding to your distress call. Identification code sent."

A soft mechanical whistle from one of the other soldiers' datapads filled the room, as her data was confirmed, and the transformation of the Pureblood in front of her was instantaneous. The stupid expression was gone, together with all hints of submissiveness, as Vowrawn straightened up to his full height, and lifted his hand, presumably as a signal to his servants.

"Henley. Shal. Disarm detonators."

Red eyes pierced her own, but the lord's slight frown now finally matched his aura.

"Needed to make sure that you were not in league with a rival, and here for the opportunity", he shrugged. "You understand, I'm sure."

Victoria couldn't have cared less; a Sith who was not suspicious was a dead Sith, after all. Her own datapad had run whatever comparative scans it could do from a medium distance, and she had copied all physiological data that she could get on her target onto the little computer inside for a reason. If there had been the slightest hint of a mismatch, any sign for betrayal, or anything else causing her to believe that this pureblood was an enemy, Darth Ignus would have burned the whole room.

"What's your status?" Victoria asked instead, voice neutral. She may have found the Imperial team, but getting them out to safety might still prove difficult. "Weapons? Number of available detonators? Any information on the best escape route?"

"No relevant injuries, and all Imperials on Cademimu Five present and ready right now. Seven blaster rifles, five detonators. Best escape route is the one with the lowest number of droids, but that changes by the minute."

Nodding, the young Sith turned towards the door, while appreciating Vowrawn's change of tune. When he wasn't acting or otherwise messing with her head, he might indeed be acceptable company.

"Hiding the whole group with the Force exceeds my skills with the Force", Victoria informed the group's leader, and readied herself for a full, long Force-and-saber fight. "Let's take the lead, while your people stay behind us. That way the two of us should be able to reflect most of the incoming fire, and the sharpshooters still have a shot at the enemy droids…"

A small cough made her hesitate, though.

"Unfortunately, going undercover required to leave my lightsaber behind", the Pureblood admitted. "So unless you brought another lightsaber, I…"

He interrupted himself, as Victoria threw her replacement saber at him. Since he wasn't the one responsible for her own sour mood, she was even kind enough not to activate its red blade – or the hidden security elements.

"I usually bring a spare", the inquisitor informed the pureblooded lord, and was rewarded with a short, but unguarded look of surprise, followed by what closely resembled a genuine, grateful smile.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Streets_ _,_ _28 BEA_

Escaping through the droid-infested building proved to be easier than Victoria had anticipated. Vowrawn's men had still been in possession of some extra kolto packs, so the young inquisitor had taken the chance to heal her wounds without having to touch her own emergency supplies. One dusty ration bar and half a bottle of water later, she even stopped feeling like electrifying everything around her. While the Head of the Sphere of Logistics might specialize in suicide operations and covert manoeuvring, he proved himself to be a skilled fighter as well, so their whole group was indeed able to tear through the enemy machines without casualties.

When they had finally reached a great hall, which was half-filled with a deformed shuttle wreck, a million shards, fluffy piles of fire extinguishing foam that covered plenty of bodies, and a convenient unintended exit through the now non-existing window glass, Victoria couldn't help but feel relieved. Her primary objective was fulfilled for now, and according to the dark icy cold that she felt, Fortis was still venting his anger, or whatever it was that made his social skills resemble those of a hungry rancor on steroids. Now, if they could only get the group behind her to safety, and conquer the missile command centre, she could finally concentrate on her personal problems again.

The assassin took a second to secure their rear, which mainly consisted of throwing one borrowed detonator into the hallway behind them. When she was finished, she noticed that Darth Vowrawn was watching the streets in front of them, and was again frowning slightly. Before Victoria could question what was wrong, though, the Sith Pureblood whirled around, took a step towards her, and gave her a brilliant smile, which, to her own astonishment, seemed to be partly genuine. It even showed a hint of fondness.

"My dear Darth Ignus", he exclaimed, "allow me to thank you again for the timely rescue! I do have to admit that I was already informed of your impressive skills in battle, but seeing them first-hand was a delight indeed. It does seem to me that my sources did underestimate your striking Force powers, though, and they most definitely neglected to mention your astonishing beauty!"

Fighting the urge to cover her ears, Victoria wasn't sure if the councillor had hit his head during their escape, or if he had grown deaf all of a sudden. Why was he suddenly shouting so loudly? And why did he suddenly resort to flattery?

"Therefore I wish to assure you of my Sphere's thanks, and of my personal eternal gratefulness", Vowrawn continued, red eyes holding her own. And before the young Sith knew what was happening, the Pureblood had bowed very exaggeratedly before her, and pressed his lips to her glove with the most devious, mischievous twinkle in his crimson eyes that she'd ever seen.

* * *

Coughing like crazy, and trying to spit out the disgusting foam that she'd accidentally gotten into her mouth, Victoria struggled to get back to her feet. The sudden earthquake had floored all of them quite literally, and with all the debris around, it had not been a pleasant experience. Making a mental note that Cademimu Five was tectonically active, and to find and hit the person who neglected to mention that information during the mission briefing, the assassin hurried outside, while stabilizing the ceiling above them with the Force to help the rest of the group. Since all of the troopers were slowly getting up as well, nobody appeared to be seriously hurt. Lord Vowrawn himself was already standing on the street, and looking towards a very impressive, smoking fissure. The assassin's gaze was captivated by a distinct, spiky outline on the other side of the chasm, though. She could still see small tendrils of lightning play around the dark form, and a halo of the same raw elemental power continued to spark through the burst rock.

Victoria tried not to stare, but couldn't help it.

That… had been quite a lot of Force power.

Watching while Fortis made his way around the big hole in the ground towards their position, the young assassin suddenly twitched in panic, and looked around hectically. Luckily, though, there was no Cademiman guard left who could have exploited her momentary distraction and lack of focus.

"Don't worry, we're safe", the Pureblood next to her murmured, with his normal voice again, before striding towards the approaching Darth with open arms.

From the glacial temperature surrounding Fortis, Victoria deduced that Lord Vowrawn really did have a slight death wish.

"My friend!" the red-skinned Darth exclaimed, loud once more, and radiated quite a bit of smugness. "What took you so long, though? Certainly not that Force-blind cyborg there, with his enforcer droid?"

No. A strong death wish.

The black-armoured warrior didn't even bestow so much as a single glance on the grinning second Dark Councillor in the party, and just nodded towards Victoria.

"Prototype unit", he explained shortly. "Energy fields, stasis traps, immobilizing poison. Shield strength sufficient to block lightsabers, and robust enough to counter medium Force attacks. Vulnerable to more concentrated Force attacks, though. Design relies on additional power sources in the ground, and resulting operational area is limited, but it might be of use for the Empire."

Blinking, Victoria looked from her brother-in-arms towards the gaping hole and back again. More concentrated Force attacks? She didn't want to be in the same system whenever Fortis used what he might consider a really strong Force attack, then.

"Provided that we can find the construction plans", Vowrawn chipped in, and nodded towards the chasm. "That unit won't be of use to anyone any more, though. You really have a tendency to overdo it. Missing sensitivity, really…"

Sensing with new distress that the temperature around them was falling rapidly again, Victoria hectically looked towards her black-armoured ally.

"Excuse us for a second, all right?" she all but pleaded, then grabbed the Pureblood's arm with a little more force than necessary, and hauled him around the next corner. She couldn't stop Fortis from listening in through the Force, but at least the Imperial troopers didn't need to see this.

"Darth Fortis was worried sick about you from the moment that he got your message", the young assassin hissed, and didn't fight the flames that had started to grow around her limbs. "I don't know what game it is that you are playing, and I don't care, but if you continue to provoke him, you'll answer to _me_. And don't think that your fancy title alone will save you. People call me 'Korriban's Flame' for a reason."

Red eyes blinked at her, and for somebody who was partly choked by his own armoured arm at his throat, the Pureblood was seeming to have an astonishingly great time.

"I seriously doubt that the stubborn tuk'ata-head was worried about me", he half-chuckled, half-coughed, and patted the young Sith's shoulder with such a condescending look on his red features that Victoria pondered to choke him in earnest for a second.

"I don't doubt your sincerity, though", Vowrawn added, a second later, "and if you insist, I'll be on my best behaviour."

Well. While this sounded pretty ominous, too, the assassin suspected that it was the best she'd get without a true fight. She released the councillor, and stalked back without waiting whether he followed or not. Glad to sense cold upon her return, but not the lethal chill which had been creeping into her bones just minutes ago, the inquisitor hoped that they would be able to continue without further delays now.

Vowrawn shadowed her, and then swaggered in Fortis' direction as if nothing noteworthy had happened.

"I do have to admit, my friend", the Sith Pureblood smiled towards the armoured warrior, "you are truly a braver man than me."

* * *

When Victoria had finally made sure that Vowrawn had gotten a good hold on the emergency rope that one of his people had been carrying, and that his troopers would be able to pull him out of the still smoking chasm without further incidents, she simply sat down on some random rubble, opened another bottle of water, poured its contents over her head to make sure that at least one person on this whole planet kept their cool, even if it was the most unlikely one, and wondered when and why the whole universe had gone crazy.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Spaceport Main Road_ _,_ _28 BEA_

Victoria checked that she was completely hidden by the remnants of a half-destroyed improvised guard camp before dropping out of her Force cloak and to the ground to hold her head. Something beneath her forehead seemed to want to explode right now. The riots on Cademimu Five did indeed work in their favour when it came to distractions, but some larger streets couldn't be crossed in secret without assistance of the Force. Given that she was the only fully-trained Sith assassin of the group, this meant running back and forth nine times per covert crossing, and extending her Force cloak to somebody she wasn't familiar with gave her a bad headache even for short distances.

But the alternative would have been fighting a minor war against all Cademiman guards in the sector, elite or otherwise. Nobody in their little group had wanted to take that risk – not even the crazy Darth who personified their primary rescue objective.

Perfectly aware by now that his antics were just cover, Victoria had started to appreciate Vowrawn's keen mind. He was incredibly good in sensing dangers, resourceful when it came to creative diversions, and seemed to care deeply about his people. And whenever they were spotted, and needed some quick droid dismantling or similar aggressive tactics, the red-skinned Sith took down his share of enemies without complaining. How long he would be able to continue was a different question, though. The young assassin didn't even need to use the Force to notice his obvious tiredness; she hadn't asked how long the Dark Councillor had been fighting in the civil war, or running from cover to cover, before taking shelter in the guard headquarters – which had probably not turned out to be as sheltered as he had thought.

Seriously. Who built hidden alcoves filled with HK units into a guard building, and installed a security script to purge all organic life in the vicinity that wasn't an elite guard? Victoria wouldn't have been too surprised to find something like that in a Sith Lord's stronghold, but this was a little bit too much even for the average Imperial building. Given that Cademimu Five had been aligned with the Republic, she could only assume that at least the killer protocols had been recent additions by corrupted followers of the governor, who'd prepared his secession more thoroughly than she'd previously given him credit for.

* * *

"Vowrawn. Ignus. I need your tactical assessment."

Jumping to her feet automatically at Fortis' words, and staggering as soon as she had left the wonderfully solid ground, Victoria nearly sighed in relief when a cool wave of well-known Force energy surrounded her, and eased her headache. It still felt somewhat distant, but the young inquisitor was in no position to complain about support.

"We need to take control of Cademimu's missile command centre, but the majority of the troopers will not be able to go on much longer", the warrior diagnosed with perfect calm. "Suggestions?"

"My people are in no shape to fight. Saving them is a priority, for me at least, but moving them out of the potential line of fire is going to require some speeders. Still, taking control of a vehicle will make us an obvious target." Seemingly not happy about his own words, the pureblooded Darth shook his head. "The same is true for starships, and those would require us to openly invade the spaceport."

Unless the starship in question was their own stealth shuttle, of course. They couldn't use it to conquer the missile control centre due to strong force fields and advanced sensors nearby, but a covert pick-up to get the soldiers to safety might just work… in theory.

Pulling heavily on the Force bond that still filled the void between her and the warrior in black, Victoria gave the mental wall of dark ice that she felt a heartfelt thought-powered kick.

 _Do you trust him?_

Whispering through the Force took quite a lot of her power, especially since the inquisitor needed to throw each single thought against the glacier between them until it cracked slightly. She therefore breathed in relief when the connection between them strengthened.

 _Depends on the context. Why?_

 _Would you trust Vowrawn to resist the temptation of simply flying away with the stealth shuttle? There's a possible secluded landing space nearby, and the ship can be piloted remotely._

The Force threads which bound them got less pronounced again, as Victoria had finished pushing the mental images through, but she knew that the warrior had understood her. Watching mutely as Fortis tilted his head towards the troopers, the young Sith was curious about his opinion.

"Vowrawn. With me. Ignus, please stay and protect the soldiers."

Darth Ignus would normally have tried to listen in with the Force, but since her head had just stopped hurting from Force overuse, she didn't want to risk a relapse. Unfortunately, Fortis' body language was next to non-existent if he wanted it, and if Vowrawn was showing any cues, she was too tired to read them properly. The two Dark Lords didn't stay away for long, though, and since the black-armoured warrior was entering a sequence into his datapad as they returned, Victoria was quite sure that he'd made his decision.

* * *

Watching her silent companion through the Force as they continued their way to the spaceport and the missile centre on their own, the young assassin shook her head. Good thing that she hadn't really expected Fortis' mood to brighten at the success of their first objective, otherwise she would have been in for another disappointment. The dark ice that she'd recently touched through the Force didn't feel like worry for a valued ally at all, if she was honest – it had just been the easiest explanation for the warrior's… issues.

Victoria concentrated on her memories, suddenly suspicious. If she wasn't wrong, the black-armoured Darth had called her solely by her title or chosen Sith name for the full blasted mission. Monosyllables whenever possible, more dark ice than on the dark side of Ilum… Not even a single comment or question whether she'd upset her master again had been prompted by her new armour's style.

 _Blast it._

This whole mess did indeed seem to be more personal than she had previously thought.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Spaceport_ _Docks_ _,_ _28 BEA_

Victoria was still mulling over the whole situation in her mind, when suddenly an alarm started to howl close to them. Confident that she hadn't slipped up, the inquisitor looked around, and cursed when she saw a Wookie standing at what seemed to be a high-powered sensor station.

And this Wookie was also in possession of a very ugly combat helmet, and even a flame-thrower, which just made the young Sith's day.

"Seriously?" she shouted, as her crimson lightsaber sprang into her waiting hands. "Burning down the woods now? What's next, huh? Ortolans with melting lasers? Axe-wielding Ugnaughts?"

If a controlled, cold Force wave hadn't hit her in time, Darth Ignus' head would have been split by her own punch line.

* * *

"Okay, you had your fun. Now talk to me."

When the heavily-armoured figure didn't answer immediately, Victoria threw one of the fallen Ugnaughts at the Darth before her. The fight against the guardian menagerie had been brutal, but short. As short as those unfortunate porcine critters. She'd taken care to use a corpse without an axe as a projectile, though.

Predictably, her improvised boulder didn't reach the other Sith, but even the inquisitor was surprised to see it disintegrated into nothingness through a heavy Force blast in mid-air.

Perhaps she ought to be a little more careful…

Eh. Forget it.

"Funny", Darth Ignus growled defiantly, not willing to admit that she was slightly scared. "You're worse than me while sobering up, and that is really saying something. Now, spit it out, unless your tongue has already frozen solid."

"There is nothing to talk about."

Howling storms in a long-forgotten graveyard would sound more cheery than Fortis right now.

Victoria took a deep breath, and readied herself for a longer tirade, when suddenly a hidden loudspeaker came to life above them.

" _The governor may be cowering in his bunker, but we will do our job!"_

After shooting some lightning at this device as well, and feeling slightly better because of it, the inquisitor jogged after her companion.

Stupid silent spiky shadow.

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Missile Command Centre_ _,_ _28 BEA_

For a mercenary, General Ortol was pretty tough, that much Victoria was ready to admit. He'd found enough time to brag about his general title, though the young Sith wasn't sure why he started to scream a single phrase at the top of his voice after that.

" _You won't get any further! You won't get any further! You won't get any fur…"_

Not willing to allow her ears to get damaged any further, Darth Ignus threw the screaming excuse for an opponent into the next starting rocket's fire column. Apparently whoever had built this control centre had thought that open and unguarded missile ramps directly above would add to its non-existent charms. Sidestepping another sea of burning gas, she then made her way over to Fortis, who was already busy with the consoles.

"There seems to be an emergency lock in place for this batch of missiles", she observed, and checked another data stream. "But its target can be altered. Permission to give a little surprise present to the small Republic fleet in orbit?"

"Granted."

If Victoria wasn't mistaken, there was at least a hint of dark satisfaction in her companion's otherwise unchanged voice.

Breathing deeply to calm her nerves, but unwilling to go from hope to permanent heartbreak in one single mission if she could help it, the young Sith tried for a calmer, non-aggressive tone for once.

"Look", she sighed. "If this is still about that unfortunate sedative episode, I really am sorry for threatening to break your nose. I didn't intend to do it. And if it's about something else that I might have said afterwards, I don't even remember it, so rest assured that I likely didn't mean whatever it was, either."

A hint of surprise touched her through the Force.

"Ignus, I am aware of that. I told you that there was nothing to apologise for."

Blinking once and then again when the sudden, strange feeling in her eyes wouldn't go away, Victoria told her dread-filled mind firmly that there was surely a lot of dust and dirt in the air.

Hells. Out of options or ideas, she opted for truth, even if it was the last thing that she wanted to do. Nothing to lose, no time like the present...

"It's just… Not even being able to properly talk to you, for example… It just..."

Swallowing to keep her throat from collapsing on its own account, the inquisitor clenched her teeth.

"… hurts", she finished lamely, and grasped for the Force to hide herself behind a wall of soothing red flames. To no avail, though – her whole spirit just felt empty. But the dark shadow before her wasn't facing her for once.

When Fortis spoke next, at least some parts of the dark ice that had woven through his voice were missing. Something else had taken its place, an emotion that felt uncannily like… regret.

"This mission was important. I would not have asked for your help otherwise. But in hindsight, it might have been more reasonable to… give this more time. And space. Vowrawn noticed; Sith are conditioned to prey on weakness. I wasn't going to question your decision."

Victoria would have given quite a lot to not only be able to understand the warrior's words, but also his sentences. Right now, the only association that came to her mind was the final confrontation of a very, very stupid romance vid which she had seen an aeon ago during an extremely boring evening in Kaas City. Staring at a wall would have been a more pleasant alternative for spending her time back then.

The inquisitor mentally kicked herself. She had bigger problems to solve right now.

"What in all Corellian Hells are you ta..."

And Victoria's mind went blank, as a new theory overrode all other thoughts.

She'd never provided any reason _why_ she had been relieved about not having kissed her companion. And everything had gone downhill directly afterwards.

She squinted her eyes.

And blinked glowing red flames away.

And balled her fists.

And lunged.

The kick was beautifully executed, and if Victoria had not broken three of her toes on contact with the solid, black steel armour which covered Fortis' knee, she would have remembered it way more fondly. The pain didn't fully register through the haze within her brain, though, and so she took advantage of the warrior's momentary distraction, and pulled sharply at the closest part of his chest armour.

Nose to nose, or rather nose to metal, Victoria saw the reflection of her own glowing yellow eyes shining back at her.

" _Idiot_ ", she growled, and had never meant any word more sincerely than in this moment.

Then she planted a fierce kiss to the lower half of the black mask in front of her.

"Did I make my intentions clear enough _now_?" Darth Ignus hissed, less than one inch away from somebody who might or might not want to kill her right now, and saw out of the corners of her eyes that flames had started to play around her whole body again. "Or did I misunderstand you, too? If so, I suggest we simply duel like the Sith that we are, and stop behaving like trice-blasted _teenagers_."

"I..."

For once, even the stoic warrior seemed to be at a loss for words.

But when cool, metal-covered fingers touched Victoria's cheek gently, the young Sith's lips curved up in a brilliant smile.

A cough made both Sith startle, and the inquisitor yelped in pain. Now her foot started to complain in earnest. Healing Force relieved the ache nearly at once, feeling blissfully warm in contrast to its recent icy cold, but the young Sith was distracted by the giant image of none other than Darth Vowrawn on the huge screen that was connected to the missile batteries' control computer.

"Hate to interrupt", the red-skinned, obnoxious nerf-herder grinned, and Victoria made a note to eviscerate the Dark Councillor and use his entrails as a door mat, "but a whole army of droids is converging on your location. So if you could just render that lovely console inoperable for the next hours, and then hurry back with the help of those wonderful stealth powers of you, my dear, then we can all finally leave this rock, and have the fleet take care of Cademimu. Sounds good?"

Something glowing red flew towards the console, and Victoria hid her head behind black steel as the monitor exploded. The whole control station was not far behind, either. Then she started to chuckle, as she leaned into the heavily-armoured warrior, only to be pulled into the same direction simultaneously.

A sigh sounded through the silence after some seconds.

"We should probably go. Vowrawn is unlikely to joke about things like this."

Despite his words, Fortis didn't move, and Victoria wasn't keen to change their position, either.

"Yeah. We probably should. But… I wouldn't be opposed to talk some more, you know? And more than talk, actually. Later. When there is adequate privacy, and no mercenary army or nosy Purebloods are breathing down our necks."

Armoured fingers carefully traced her cheek again.

"Agreed."

Both Sith had just left the control centre in a cloud of protective shadows, when Fortis spoke once more, though.

"Victoria. Just out of curiosity: Did you upset your master again, or why did Serpentis pick _this_ design for your promotion gift? You called it ugly on more than one occasion."

Smiling, the inquisitor shook her head. Had she really meant it? Ever?

"Of course I did. But my taste in colours is way better than yours, and in contrast to certain other people, I look good in just about anything. Plus, you _are_ a bad influence on me."

* * *

 _Cademimu_ _Five_ _,_ _Stealth Shuttle, Orbit_ _,_ _28 BEA_

Sitting comfortably in one of the two seats that formed the bridge of the stealth shuttle, while cursing the presence of seven Imperial troopers and a pureblooded Dark Councillor behind them, Victoria watched interestedly as Imperial forces continued their assault on the undefended planet of Cademimu Five. The young Sith really appreciated it now and then when her battles had been won before they even started.

Meanwhile, Fortis was sitting next to her, and listened to the reports of his subordinates.

"Yes, my lord. Planetary defences are disengaging, and we've got the governor's shuttle on scanners. We'll take it from here."

Yawning, Victoria blinked towards her companion, and took the opportunity to appreciate the view next to her as well.

"Why not simply shoot that guy out of space?" she asked, while wondering about the waste of resources. But the warrior tilted his head, and she sensed… satisfaction through the Force bond between them.

"Public executions have a far greater impact on the morale of the people. His successor will get the opportunity to lead his planet into a new era – or else pay for its association with the Republic."

Closing her eyes completely, the inquisitor enjoyed the feeling of pleasant cool Force energy that was radiating from her companion, and flowing around her soul. This whole shuttle was way too warm. And crowded.

"Hm. Makes sense", she commented, and pondered whether there was any good excuse to just space the people behind them.

A hint of amusement, clearly visible through the Force. With their minds so close, Victoria was pretty sure that Fortis had sensed her intentions clearly.

"We just saved them. Besides, Vowrawn is more useful alive."

"Oh thank you _so_ much."

If Victoria wasn't mistaken, the red-skinned Darth sounded a little bit angry. Fortis, in contrast, seemed to radiate shadows of some dark satisfaction again.

"He wasn't that pleased to hear that this shuttle could be destroyed remotely, and that it was programmed to self-destruct upon any kind of tampering with its programming, or when leaving orbit while neither of us was on board", the Sith warrior explained, with his typical tone of controlled calm.

"I wouldn't have left you two on that planet! Probably. But your level of mistrust _wounds_ me, my friend."

Despite their quarrel, though, the young inquisitor was quite sure that she sensed a certain amount of mutual sympathy. If Vowrawn ever got tired of his post, Victoria mused, he could probably start a successful career as a stage actor.

"Ah, so be it. But at least this adventure included _some_ friendly, pleasant company."

Squinting her eyes at the grinning Pureblood, Darth Ignus was relieved to sense nothing but serene calm next to her.

"Sorry, not my type", she shrugged, deciding to play along instead of breaking the Dark Councillor's gold-plated nose. "Besides, if that small, Force-blind robot back on Cademimu already gave you such trouble, I'd hate to image how often I would need to rescue you on a weekly basis."

Darth Vowrawn just tipped his head back and laughed heartily.

"You just broke my heart, my dear Darth."

"And I will do it again, quite literally, if you continue with this bantha dung."

The Dark Lord's laughter just got a little louder.

"Fine, fine", he finally relented, and reached for a tissue, before focusing his attention on the other Sith Lord within the shuttle.

"Oh, by the way, Fortis?" he asked, lightly, but in his normal voice again. "If you see the old snake, could you tell her that I reconsidered, and that she has my unconditional support?"

Wondering what that had been about, Victoria suspected that she wouldn't get a clarifying explanation out of any of the two Sith Lords. But since she could literally sense the black-armoured warrior's satisfaction, the inquisitor let it slide, trusting him that all was well.

Trust?

Pah.

Still...

Her mind insisted that some day, this trust was going to be her downfall, but her heart felt otherwise.

Trust...

It was even worse than 'care'.

Trust...

 _Do not fear._

The thought was not her own, but it found an echo deep within her self.

Trust.

Nodding imperceptibly, Victoria looked outside, into the infinite depths of space before her.

* * *

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews and kind words. Regarding SWTOR's newest flashpoints and roadmap, it seems that it will be 2018 before we get the current story arc's conclusion - still, we'll see what happens.

Oh, and if the next chapter gets delayed a little, it might just be possible that one of my main characters has simply Force-choked me.


	25. Disavowed

_Odessen, Alliance Base,War Room, 5 AEA_

They lost them.

The words still echoed in Raven's head, as the young assassin hectically tried to contact Koth's shuttle again. To no avail, though – the only answer that she got was static.

"Zakuulan idiot."

Lea's face showed nothing but pure anger, but the Barsen'thor had enough self-control to leave it at that. The Jedi just turned and stalked out without another word; Raven would have bet much that her sister was going to hit the training facilities, and vent her frustration on the droids there. Growing up with the Jedi Order might have softened her temper, much, but in situations like these, her mother's legacy and habits were shining through.

Well, _their_ mother's. Darth Ignus' blood was running in her own veins, too, for better or for worse. Pondering to join her sibling, the young inquisitor made a conscious effort to relax again. Her fingers had started to hurt from making fists for too long.

"Hey."

Someone gently nudged her shoulder, and the young Sith was glad to see warm, brown eyes, which were shining with sudden determination.

"I could probably trace and hunt Koth and Len down", Theron offered. "Give me an hour to collect some special equipment, call some contacts, and prep another shuttle, and I promise I'll be back within one week, with both of them in tow."

Blinking, Raven tried to guess whether her partner was serious or not. It proved to be quite difficult at the moment.

"Seriously. Handcuffed, and gagged."

Somehow, the corner of her mouth was twitching against her will.

"I think I'd actually like to see that", the assassin admitted, and felt the cold within her heart lessen a bit, as humour started to resurface.

"Oh, you will. Definitely. Two securely-tied presents for my most favourite Darth in the universe."

"Hah!"

"And I'll even tie some ribbons to Koth's head to make a bow. You can choose the colour."

Shooting the agent a dark glare, Raven made a face.

"You know, that sounds disturbingly kinky."

The resulting grin was entirely too innocent to be convincing.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about", Theron answered, and suddenly looked like the most harmless Jedi Padawan in the long history of the order. "On second thought, though…"

No. That grin looked more fitting for a Sith Acolyte with an above-average fantasy.

"… would you indeed be interested in things like that, my lord?"

Raven didn't even have to look around to know that they had the attention of the whole room. Blast it all. Collecting all shards of her dignity that she could reach, the Sith glared at the smiling, accurately hair-dressed nuisance.

"Even if I knew what you were talking about, I would certainly not answer that in front of witnesses", she answered with all the composure she could scrap together. "Now shut up, please, or I'll have to Force-choke you."

An arm found its way around her shoulder. Raven would have lied if she'd told herself that the feeling wasn't comfortable.

"And to think that you were the one to call _me_ kinky… Ouch!"

Smiling as calmly towards the others as she was able to, Raven looked around, while stepping onto Theron's toes again. Hard.

"Back to work, everybody. Continue to monitor Zakuulan operations. Should Arcann hit other targets, we have to be ready to help survivors if he picks more populated places to bombard. Watch for new allies, and fight the new Emperor's propaganda. But don't forget to get some rest as well. And if anybody should hear news about Koth, please tell me immediately."

The young inquisitor focused on the agent again.

"Now, about your blatant ignorance of an Alliance Commander's order…"

Out of the corners of her eyes, Raven saw that Lana was massaging her temples.

"Just get a room, you two."

* * *

 _Odessen, Fury, Quarters, 5 AEA_

Black stones, on the ground, stretching from her position onwards to the foggy, unseen horizon. Air that held no trace of life, but only stale, motionless, dusty hopelessness. Weird sculptures in the distance, half-seen, half-hidden in the shadows. Darkness around her, not just the absence of light, but the feeling of something more sinister, menacing close by. Drowned out though, ignored, as sorrow gripped her heart. Grief, not hatred, even as shiny, ghostly movement tried to draw her attention away from the scene in front of her.

"It is your destiny…"

Words. A voice. Ignored, too; syllables drowning in the void. She would deal with the dark phantom in her mind and his hissed half-truths and manipulations later.

Red and black steel, motionless. More red, slowly spreading, merging with the dark stones below.

* * *

Gasping, Raven tensed and called on the Force out of reflex, but was quick to recognize the face in front of her. Theron's nose was inches away from her own, worry evident in the many small lines around his eyes as he frowned. Looking around to ground herself in the reality around her, Raven noticed that the Fury's lights were on. Apparently, the agent had shaken her awake out of uneasy slumber.

"Hey there. You okay?"

Breathing deeply, the assassin tried to calm her racing heartbeat.

"Yeah", she finally answered, and moved her hand with effort to reach a glass of water, before cuddling closer to the welcoming warmth at her side. Seconds later, she found her head resting against Theron's chest, and the rest of herself securely hidden in his embrace. The young Sith hoped that the former Republic special agent was also trained in warding off bad dreams.

"Just nightmares", the assassin murmured quietly. "It has been weeks since the last… suppose it was simply time for the next. And with Koth leaving… there was just too much going on for a good night's rest."

The feeling of loss returned, albeit eased by the comforting presence at her side.

"Hm. Want to talk about it?"

Closing her eyes again, Raven thought about that question for a second.

"It's… difficult to describe", she finally answered, while struggling with both words and memories. "When I was frozen, I dreamed about the former Sith Emperor, you know that much. He showed me things, memories… I saw Arcann, and Vaylin. The Eternal Throne. The Sith Empire in shambles. But there was more. Things that were more personal."

Pressing her nose deeper into warm Corellian cotton, Raven didn't care if her voice got a little muffled.

"I saw my crew. My friends", she admitted in a whisper. "Frozen in time, unmoving, not reacting when I called out to them. So I went on, ventured through the nightmare lands I had found myself in, and reached an area resembling the Imperial Citadel. But it was broken. Everything was broken. And yet, there were other phantoms there. Moving shadows, spirit forms… Officers, Sith. Normal people. The spirits of the dead. All of them blaming me, because I had not been able to defend them. Because I had been too weak to fight Vitiate and his children. And then… there was a fight…"

Swallowing, the young assassin brushed away the vision's pictures, and reminded herself of the true person she'd called ally once, and not his look-alike shadow that she'd struck down in those nightmare realms. Calm, controlled, no matter what, and rational, reasonable even. She'd always got the impression that nothing could really unsettle the old Dark Councillor, and he would most certainly not have been spooked by a little nightly vision, regardless of its contents.

"Within the dream, I faced Darth Marr in combat", Raven continued, suddenly calm herself, as shadowy nightmare pictures got replaced by real memories. "I struck him down in self-defence, and when he fell, everything around us crumbled."

Sorrow returned, but it was more muted now.

"I don't know how much of that was Vitiate's doing, or simple carbonite nightmares. Maybe there was also a stray Force vision or something playing into all this. Perhaps it was all of it at once, or perhaps it was only coincidence", the assassin continued, still quietly, but feeling more in control now, more like herself. "But when I woke up in this new reality, with Zakuul as the new galactic superpower, and everything I had once known gone or changed, this last part of the nightmare followed me. It has gotten better since, but once in a while, I still find myself standing on dark nightmare stones, with the broken body of my former ally in front of me, and I just feel so lost in this new world that even Vitiate's whispers aren't able to reach me any more."

Something warm brushed her cheek, gently, and the young Sith was finally able to manage a small smile as she leaned into the touch. The silence that settled in was starting to feel comfortable again.

"Shhh, I understand. He was like a mentor to you, after all", Theron finally whispered. "When you started your tenure on the Dark Council, I mean. I noticed on Rishi that there was a, forgive my Jedi upbringing prejudices, completely _weird_ amount of trust between you two which was, frankly, unheard of between Sith. A blasted space battle was raging between mortal enemies, for crying out loud, and you just called that guy, and asked him nicely to please stop shooting. I thought you'd lost your mind when I heard that over the comm link. But what really floored me was how easily the personified nightmare of all Republic worlds simply nodded and _did just that_. It made me fear that you were actually strong and devious enough to just mind-control _Marr_ of all people, and that thought just might have made me freak out a little."

Despite her best efforts, a small grin managed to squirm its way through Raven's neurons, until it finally reached the corner of her mouth. "Not interested in awkward flirting with a galaxy-dominating, mind-controlling Sith assassin warlord? I'm so disappointed."

"Nah. You don't know true disappointment until you've seen _Lana_ glare at you while desperately hacking remotely into Imperial data streams for no other reasons than personal curiosity, while the fight that could start the end of the galaxy is happening _right in front of your own nose_. I just wanted some form of reassurance that I wasn't pining over a ridiculously beautiful evil overlord _out to control the whole galaxy_ , you know?"

Raven massaged her head. "Not that I don't appreciate the compliment, but could you please speak in a normal voice again? I can nearly hear you thinking in italics, and while I have to agree that it was pretty intense back then, I'd like to skip the tension at 3 AM in the morning. Besides, you got over your qualms impressively quickly once we had some privacy after the cross-faction council in Raider's Cove."

The young Sith didn't even have to turn her head to know that her companion was smirking now.

"Well, I had just come to the conclusion that resistance was obviously futile, so I thought that I might just go with it… ouch! Just kidding. No, the Imperial mission logs that I found told me that you had already worked together for years, starting with random general bounties, and working your way up to galactic crises like the Dread Master fiasco on Oricon. That had to count for something, even among Sith."

Memories clouded Raven's sight for a moment, and she blinked until the strangely warped world of terror the Dread Masters had built their stronghold in disappeared from her mind again. Feeling nostalgic all of a sudden, she then consciously reached back, to times where fighting for her life on a daily basis had been as normal as now, but when the whole universe had still been simpler, somehow. Ilum. The Dark Council Chambers. Adamas Space Station over Hoth. Korriban. Other worlds, more dangers, the Force steady by her side, and its shadows close by, offering protection. And, finally, Ziost, back then, in times long past. The world had been cold and cruel, at least to its slaves, but it had not yet been the most horrible necropolis that this galaxy had ever seen.

"He was looking out for me before that", Raven murmured, the feeling of warmth and safety around her finally prompting the young Sith to share memories and thoughts she had not even discussed with her sister. "You wouldn't find much evidence for it, just a little too much... _coincidence_ , you know, once you started digging. But I noticed. And in time, I also believe that I found out why."

The young Sith closed her eyes, and tried to wrap herself more neatly into the safety promised by familiar arms and warm blankets around her. " I never told him, though. And now it's too late. So I suppose that's where the nightmares come from. Seeing you or Lea in my nightly visions would be more painful, but I have no regrets regarding either of you."

A small movement behind her stopped Raven from falling asleep right then and there, but it was only Theron, who reached for the controls to dim the lights again. "You're not making much sense, my love", the agent whispered into her ear, "but I'm glad that to hear you don't regret this. Us. Now, try to sleep. There will probably be plenty of crazy things or people vying for your attention again tomorrow."

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, 5 AEA_

Raven looked down, tried to memorize the scene in front of her, and shifted her attention subsequently back up to the ridiculous puppy-eyes right in front of her own nose. Deploying a raised eyebrow to what she hoped was a world-shaking effect, she folded her arms and steeled herself for whatever plea there was to come.

"Please. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for what I did."

Staring into the three-dimensional picture of condensed agony, mortal shame, and self-depreciation, the young assassin allowed her eyebrow to climb even higher, while drawing the silence out longer.

"I won't pretend it didn't hurt, Theron", she finally answered, taking great effort to emphasize every word, and revelled in the effect it had. Impressed beyond words, Raven wished that she could take a picture – it seemed that the agent's whole mimic was now trying to convey purest misery.

"I… I know I don't deserve it… but can you give your idiot spy boyfriend one more chance?"

There was simply no way the Sith Inquisitor and Alliance Commander could resist these eyes, or this voice. If they ever found a way to weaponize the effect, Arcann would soon topple over his own feet while trying to make amends for his sins.

"You don't need another chance", she sighed, and returned Theron's last notes of toy money to him. "Just remember my leniency if I happen to land on one of your space stations next. As I said, that last bill from your Outer Rim sector worlds hurt my finances rather deeply."

The living image of sorrow and regret switched to a relaxed, happy and joyful agent at dazzling speed.

"Thank the stars. I'll spend the rest of the game making it up to you. In fact, I hereby offer an armistice and acceptance of you as sovereign over my dominion, in exchange for military protection and mutual cessation of landing fees between our worlds. I'll even throw in my fleet of star fighters as part of the deal. Sounds good, my Empress?"

Raven was just really getting into answering that question in a decidedly non-verbal way, when a dozen tiny objects rained down onto the board game. Kaliyo, fuming, had thrown her own star fighters and remaining money away, and jumped up, fingers visibly itching for her blaster.

"Ugh, you two are impossible! This was supposed to be a nice, relaxing blackmail-allowed unfair game of Galactic Conquest, full of tension and betrayal, and you dimwitted misfits just have to turn it all mushy and sickeningly sweet! I swear, if I ever see that expression on either of your faces again, I'll…"

Luckily, her rant was cut short when the door towards the Command Centre opened, and Lana appeared, eyes blazing, and a little unsteady on her feet from a big box full of intel-filled disks that she was carrying. Thanking the galaxy for small mercies, Raven extracted herself from what was quickly threatening to get a little too private for public situations, especially regarding the present company of one cursing Rattataki, an amused pirate, a smiling Togruta and a laughing Jedi Consular, and joined her sister, Senya and Admiral Aygo, who were all peering over a rapidly growing heap of datapads.

"You all know that Theron passed some of the data which Master Kell took from Overwatch to his SIS contacts", the Sith Lord started without preamble. "Apparently it made for a convincing invitation to some prospective allies in the Republic Special Forces."

"Who are you planning to recruit?" Raven asked, but was interrupted when Lea gave a loud whistle. The Jedi had wasted no time and started digging through the datapads; picking one and waving it wildly without any sense for decorum at all, she beamed like her birthday and Republic Day had suddenly fallen together into one delirious glittering heap of present-filled goodness.

"It's Havoc Squad!" the Barsen'thor all but squealed in delight. "War heroes, all of them. Decorated up to their respective noses, with enough sway to bring in many more allies, should we be able to convince them to join us, of course. Which we should definitely try. Shouldn't be impossible, they were on Yavin 4 as well and already proved to be both capable and open-minded enough. Now, it seems that they took leave of their official duties..."

Lana cleared her throat. Pointedly. "As I was saying", she continued, "there are some prospective allies from the Republic Special Forces, Havoc Squad to be precise, currently on an 'unscheduled' operation on Zakuul. They agreed to a rendezvous, but it's up to us to really win them over."

Struggling to pull the next datapad from the golden-haired Jedi, who appeared to be nearly swooning over the elite unit's symbol, Beniko finally won the hand-to-hand duel, and continued to deliver facts over the constant level of fawning in the background. The unit itself had actually split, with the commanding officer, a colonel who'd become famous under her call sign 'Meteor', still back on Coruscant, seemingly on a personal mission to convince the Supreme Chancellor to release both her medic and battle droid companion from redundant desk work and propaganda speeches back to active duty. The majority of the group, however, was supposedly targeting a listening post manned by the Knights of Zakuul.

"The officer in charge could pose a problem, though", Lana continued with her briefing. "He's a major, highly decorated, but defined by his hatred for the Empire. Understandable, considering that he holds us to be ultimately responsible for the near-total destruction of his home world by the Mandalorians in the Battle of Cathar. Other than that, his service record shows evidence of remarkable skill, bravery, and loyalty. Major Jorgan would be a valuable asset to the Alliance. I'd therefore suggest to make the first contact easier for everybody by sending the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order…"

Somebody coughed. Belatedly, Raven realized that her sister's adoring fan-inspired rant about Havoc Squad's famed exploits had stopped minutes ago, and that the Jedi Master was a little paler than usually, with the noticeable exception of her nose. A hint of red was slowly spreading from its centre gradually towards her cheekbones.

"Apologies, but I have reason to believe that this approach is not feasible", Lea declared with an impressive aura of calm dignity and noble wisdom, which Raven might actually have bought if the consular's left shoulder hadn't been twitching slightly in that tell-tale way it always did when she tried to bluff her way through a devastatingly bad game of Corellian poker. "Given Major Jorgan's already confirmed distrust of former Imperial troops, any Republic-friendly agents of ours might be seen as purely diversionary tactic. Besides, he's military. Having the leader of this Alliance, who's famous for taking the field herself and leading from the front, obviously shying away from this mission will fully earn his distrust and contempt."

Since everybody was rather quick to agree with the esteemed Jedi Master's analysis, especially all the former Republic troops around, Raven simply resigned herself to another mission in the metropolis-and-swamp world of Zakuul. Theron, to his eternal credit, was the one brave exception to the ongoing evasive manoeuvres, and volunteered himself, his shoulder pads and his blaster for a master course lesson in intergalactic diplomacy, mud stomping, and shoe cleaning. It was in moments like these that Raven truly and deeply felt how much she loved the former SIS agent, despite all the awkward beginnings and his creative excuse for a reasonable haircut.

Despite the young Sith's best efforts, dignified Master Lea Kell refused to surrender more information on the target even under threat of most severe torture, also known as tickling, and escaped Raven's rather unsuccessful attempt to coerce information out of the unwilling Jedi by means of phasing through the walls.

"You'll be fine!" she shouted, while running full-speed from the revenge of the Sith. "Just be nice and respectful, don't try to make him purr by scratching behind his ears, and above all, don't sneak Gentle Gran's Favourite Kitty Treats into his rations!"

Fully flabbergasted for a moment, Raven finally managed to intercept her sister's erratic way through the base, and did a little phasing of herself to literally cool the overheating Jedi down a little bit in one of the beautiful little lakes outside. When all the splashing, wailing and howling had finally subsided, the former Dark Councillor fixed the part-time wayward Jedi with an unrelenting deep glare that successfully made her target squirm.

"I had certainly not expected to hear inconsiderate, tactless, speciecist comments from you of all people, Lea", she stated, and tried hard for her best Very Disappointed In You voice. Since the Jedi was suddenly wincing like one of her orobirds during the most severe itches of their moults, and looking everywhere but at Raven, the Sith was pretty sure that she got her message through.

"I know, I know", her sister conceded, while trying to turn the wet mass of stuff on her head into recognizable hair again. "Let's just say that my advice was based on events that happened on Chandrila, quite some time ago, when some young, promising Republic recruits were assigned to a training mission with some Jedi close to the Jedi Enclave there, and when some even younger and most certainly more stupid Padawans might not have been the expected picture of perfect politeness one would hope for when dealing with honoured guests. I was nineyears old, hated nothing more than boring reading in the Jedi archives, and loved to spend time with the groundkeepers and gardeners outside. And one of them had a cat. Well, you can imagine the rest, I suppose. Hard to forget that episode when it was rubbed in again on a monthly basis, just to remind a slightly older and even more adventurous Padawan to actually do her studies in intergalactic diplomacy." After coughing out about half a lung full of muddy water, Lea threw her head back, managed to get at least the most noticeable pieces of reed and algae away from her face, and coughed awkwardly. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd love to go to discuss philosophy with Sana-Rae. That's usually sufficient to make my head hurt enough that I forget anything else which might have happened in terms of embarrassment and painfulness. And, trust me: If you deal with Aric Jorgan, then just pretend that you don't know me."

Frowning, Raven scratched her head. "What, just because you once acted like a child when you were, well, a child?" she asked. "I bet you anything that he doesn't even remember that short episode."

Funny. The Sith didn't even know that facial muscles could move that way.

"No, that's indeed not the problem", Master Kell said with all the dignity she typically displayed nowadays when around other Jedi Masters. "Unfortunately, though, we met again, on a rescue mission to Archar IV, and my brilliant plan to even the odds against the big and ugly felida beasts involved lots and lots of catnip. Please don't ask for details."

* * *

 _Zakuul, Wilderness, 5 AEA_

Raven liked to think of herself as a responsible, reliable adult with a relatively high tolerance for redundant tasks, fragmentary instructions or explanations, life-threatening dangers, or her sister's pitiful jokes on the rare occasions when the Barsen'thor wasn't only tipsy, but well and truly drunk. Still, the young Sith had to admit that walking through the heart of her arch-nemesis' empire's olfactory unpleasant depths of a swamp, wiping spiders out of her hair or away from her throat, and wading through heaps of dismembered wildlife that apparently had still failed to get the memo that Sith made a poor choice for breakfast, was slowly eroding her calm composure. Fighting to get her admittedly well-worn boot out of a particularly nasty hole in the sticky, muddy ground, the powerful Lord of the Sith, Darth Imperius in the flesh, suddenly got the nagging, unshakable feeling that she was being watched. And, since she knew her own luck very well after all that fiascos that made up her life, it was either a very hungry rancor, a squad of trigger-happy Republic elite soldiers, or Emperor Arcann personally witnessing her discomfort.

"I've got an anti-material rifle trained on your position and an unrestricted firing angle…"

When a stern and frankly quite threatening voice hit Raven's ears unprepared, she tried to straighten and turn quickly into the direction of the speaker. In hindsight, though, with her foot still stuck to the ground and the terrain around her decidedly not in her favour, quick movements were not the most advisable course of action. Reflexively cursing and flailing when she felt herself become unbalanced, she was glad beyond words that Theron was there to save both her, her robes, and her dignity from an unpleasant little bath in front of witnesses.

Silence greeted Raven when she had finally regained her composure, and was looking into the shadows, searching for whoever had sort of greeted her just some seconds ago. The sudden quiet of the swamps was astoundingly loud in her ears.

"Stand down, Havoc."

Well. At least one thing seemed to be going according to plan today.

Lord Kallig, Force-Walker, former Head of the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge, and hero of a zillion battles, watched mutely as a frowning Cathar came into sight, joined by a group of Republic soldiers who wore the Havoc badge with pride. None of them were looking as if they'd recently wrestled with the swamp's inhabitants, Raven mused, and wondered if she'd ever learned the magic behind that feat.

"I represent an alliance forming against Emperor Arcann", the young Sith Lord stated, and valiantly tried to go back to her scripted speech. "We thought that might interest you…"

If anything, the frown from the imposing Cathar at the front of the group actually deepened.

"… and yes, I was on the Dark Council for a time, but…"

A swift gesture cut through Raven's attempt at a speech, and she just watched, as the Havoc Squad major stared at her incredulously.

"'Fu-zzy blasted swamp'?!"

The Sith felt her ears grow hot.

"Um, I'm deeply sorry, but I didn't mean any disrespect, I just slipped and… well… 'fuzzy', you know, it's one of the nicer alternatives to actual swear words, you see, in general at least, unless, okay, you know, well, perhaps not, but humans, Sith Purebloods and… eh… more humans aren't offended by it, and they make up most of the Imperial elite, so it kind of got into the general way of talking, and… and..."

She was interrupted by a low groan.

"Intelligence was correct then? Bloody universe and it's sense of humour. I'm Major Jorgan, and if about one hundred first-hand witnesses from the Republic and the SIS contact briefing me are to be believed, you are the completely insane and suicidal Sith Lord who saved imprisoned Jedi and legions of slaves while an acolyte on Korriban, spared defected scientists, enemy soldiers or other lost souls whenever and wherever encountered over the course of your impressive career, built up an orphanage on Nar Shaddaa of all places, and who still talks too much and suffers from chronic politeness while being able to kill those opposing you with a single thought..."

Raven… blinked.

"Orphanage?" she asked, meekly. "I just asked my people at the Strell House to go with it when they presented their plans to open a soup kitchen for the poorest of the poor…"

"… and", Jorgan continued as if she hadn't spoken at all, "can't curse for the life of her, but has a _sister_ who is more than able to compensate in that regard. I've never ever again seen a Padawan who could compete with my own instructor, Force take him gently, in terms of cussing and roaring like a roasting Wookie on a rake when angry, and frankly, I don't want to."

Finding that her mouth was still open, but without any single word that came to mind, Raven closed it quickly. The Cathar in front of her sighed.

"Just call me Aric", he grunted, and signalled Sith assassin and Republic agent to follow him and his people. "Figure I owe you that much; one of the guys on the prison world of Belsavis that you spared was a friend of mine. And there's that small matter of you playing a vital role in saving us all on Yavin 4. Colonel was there, guarding the command post during your negotiations, and vouches for you, which means you can't be that bad; Meteor's usually right about this sort of I was down with a Massassi bite at the end of it all, and didn't get the chance to see for myself, but I trust her. And by extension, that apparently means I also trust you. What a crazy universe."

The major shook his head in what had to be a mix of frustration, bafflement, disbelief… and possibly also a small part of grudging amusement. "Now, about this Alliance of yours… I'm tired of seeing Arcann stomp all over the galaxy. Figure if the same is true for you, then you won't mind helping with an operation here on Zakuul."

* * *

Naturally, winning over Havoc Squad to their course could not be accomplished with a nice chat and reminiscence of the good old terrible times, plus a nice and easy little mission. Instead, the universe decided to complicate things in form of some Zakuulan sensor probes, plenty of Zakuulan droids, and a bunch of Zakuulan refugees, and all that before they had even started with that ominous mission. Raven joined Aric Jorgan and his men in shooting the first and second, and getting shouted at by the third group for… well, the Sith wasn't even that sure what for, exactly. Living?Or wanting to continue living for the foreseeable future? Apparently, her very existence and Arcann being his usually charming self and striking hard against any and all perceived opposition made her into the perfect scapegoat, and she had little to no say about it. At all.

While nursing her headache from Force overuse, and trying not to glance too longingly at the last of her ration bars that she had shared with the angry group of swamp outcasts, the assassin grudgingly admitted to herself that moments like these were the price for turning her back onto the Dark Side. And yet… When the last half of Theron's final ration bar found its way into her hand, and was accompanied by a warm smile, Raven didn't find it in her to regret her choices. Now they only had to make it back to camp, with more food, shelter, and hopefully a relaxing long, peaceful night waiting for them, and then they would be able to deal with anything Zakuul could throw at them in the morning. Or afternoon, preferably.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Havoc Camp, 5 AEA_

"I'll see you in the morning. Oh-seven-hundred."

Darth Imperius, Force-Walker, Hero of Yavin 4, and masterful Sith assassin did not whine. Did not whine. Absolutely did not… Oh, well.

"Oh-seven-hundred?" Raven whined. With her current headache, she already knew that sleep would elude her for the next hours. Additionally, both the suffering of the Zakuulan rebels and their accusing glares when they were introduced still haunted her. Naturally, the level of sympathy from the Republic leader was mediocre at best.

"You'll survive. I think."

* * *

One hour later, Raven found herself sitting on a log and staring into a particularly dark swamp hole. She had excused herself from the tent that Havoc Squad had offered her and Theron, as wrestling with her blanket in a futile attempt to drift off would only serve to keep the agent awake as well. Neither of them was in the mood for other activities, especially considering all the witnesses around. From what the young Sith recalled from an oldstrategic/tactic textbookabout Republic-associated species, Cathar hearing in particular was very sensitive.

Soft steps behind her alerted her from her meditation, but a short glance back confirmed that it was only Major Jorgan, or, well, Aric, who appeared out of the shadows that made up their camp. His posture was relaxed, though, which made an emergency unlikely.

"Still awake as well?" Raven asked, curious, and moved a little to the side; the major accepted the unspoken invitation without pause.

"Always, when so much is at stake. This may be our best shot at hitting Zakuul where it hurts since this whole mess started." Aric sighed deeply, and the inquisitor nodded in agreement. The silence between them felt comfortable now.

"Sometimes it still feels unreal. In one moment, I strike at the former Emperor, and after what's been barely a blink in time for me, people call me Outlander and a good ninety percent of everything I have ever known and taken for granted is suddenly null and void. Plus, a powerful galactic cyborg tyrant apparently now is obsessed with ending me and the even more tyrannical ghost that has taken residence in my head…"

"What?"

Groaning, Raven hid her head in her hands. "Let me guess. That piece of information didn't make it into the briefing?" She paused, but since Aric still seemed to search for any way back to reality, the assassin just shrugged and continued. "For now, I'm reasonably sure that Vitiate seeks to influence me, but simply controlling me is either beyond his power, or he's consistently toying with me. Either way, if you regret not taking that shot when we first met, you probably needn't, unless you'd fancy carrying a boasting voice in your head yourself. From what we know, there's every indication that the phantom menace can switch bodies again."

A sudden cold in her thoughts heralded the presence of said menace. "Such animosity. We are partners now, fates intertwi…"

With a routine that felt both immensely satisfying and disturbing in its familiarity born out of sheer frequency, Raven shut the pouting avatar of the dark side out of her conscious thoughts. While she couldn't rule out that the former Emperor was indeed just toying with her, Lord Kallig had noticed that most deep emotions, aside from hatred, anger, and fear, tended to scare her unwanted guest away for a while. So she recalled every feeling of regret and pain that she'd felt when meeting the Zakuulans earlier that day, and allowed her head to drop into her hands in relief when the insidious presence faded. Silence reigned again, but it had lost all shreds of comfort.

"Are you all right?"

Nearly chuckling at the awkward question, Raven tilted her head to the side. What a multi-faced question. "I'll have to be", she answered, slowly. "I'll have to stay in control. If not, we can all but forget about the Alliance, really. There is little point in replacing a violent, unrestrained ruler with a genocidal one."

A low hum next to her told the young Sith that Aric was thinking about her words. "This new Emperor. You've met him?"

"More than once." Deciding that there was little point in keeping this information from her ally, Raven leaned back against another peace of wood, and stared into the distance. "The first time I saw Arcann, I was a prisoner, caught by Zakuulan forces after the destruction of Darth Marr's flagship. There was a fight. At its end, Vitiate was dead, his ghost inside my mind, I was frozen in carbonite, and Arcann declared himself ruler of the whole galaxy." Even with all that had happened since, that particular memory still stung like a raw, open wound.

"I faced Emperor Arcann in open combat on Asylum, some time after I had been freed from the carbonite prison", she continued. "That space port did not survive our meeting, and I almost did not, either."

"Hm. So he's indeed powerful, then. Not just a figurehead who controls an unstoppable armada."

Nodding, Raven absently-minded touched her robes. She was still not quite sure how she'd been able to survive a lightsaber to her chest in the first place, and how both her sister and herself had made it back to the Gravestone in time for her to get medical aid. Within her memory, the Force Storm that had surrounded and shielded them still roared insistently.

"Would be easier if he were", Aric mused aloud. "Any weaknesses, then? What's your assessment?"

"He's…" No. Raven stopped herself, swallowing the first, more short-sighted comment. "You know, it's so easy to think that he's just every bit the Sith that his father was. But… imagine growing up in the shadow of an all-powerful cross between a warlord and a god, who warps and destroys whole planets at a whim, who doesn't know kindness or love, and who won't tolerate it in his offspring." She knew for sure that Senya had suffered under Valkorion's cold, once he'd lost the warmth he'd shown her, pretended or real. Common reasoning indicated that it wasn't only the former Knight of Zakuul who had been hurting.

"So he's emotionally unstable, definitely prone to rage, and possibly overcompensating for some deeply-felt sense of insecurity. We might be able to find some use for that information." The Cathar even pulled out a datapad to put down some notes. From what she'd seen so far, the young inquisitor wasn't surprised that Havoc Squad was so famous among the Republic's soldiers – they all seemed to be as relentless in battle as they were meticulous and exact out of it, and always quick to take note of possible weaknesses in their enemies. Raven hoped that at the end of this operation, she wouldn't qualify as one.

Next to her, the major sighed as he joined her in staring out into the darkness.

"Nothing but despots left in this galaxy. The Republic I signed up to protect doesn't exist any more. We gave the reigns over to people who don't care how we win, just as long as we do… Saresh is all but a dictator now."

"I'm sorry." The words sounded hollow, even to her own ears, but there was a certain warmth spreading inside Raven as well. She'd chosen to place her trust in these Republic soldiers, and felt that she was getting some measure of trust in return. Perhaps they might really succeed in making the whole Alliance work and grow. "Still, there's hope. You and I found some common ground, a Republic Elite trooper, and a former Dark Councillor of the Sith Empire of all people. If we are able to look over our hurts and fears, Saresh and the others might find it in them to do so, too, once we've dealt with Arcann." Frowning, Raven recalled what she knew about Chancellor Saresh. "Well, and if not, there will be some way to restore what's lost. In contrast to the Sith Empire, you've got enough people left who actually care." Bitterness slipped into her tone, unbidden, but hard to fight. She'd hoped that the Empire could be changed, and still did, but it seemed even more unlikely now than in the past. With all of the former Emperor's deeds out in the open, and a common enemy to fight, the Sith as a whole still preferred surrender, internal squabbles for scraps of power, and the habitual war against the Galactic Republic to real change and a unified front against the new thread. It would have been almost comical if it hadn't been so… sad.

"Colonel said the same thing", Aric admitted. "Its just… I will fight for the Republic until my death, but I won't fight for some bureaucrats who just push through for whatever personal agenda they might fancy." Shaking his head, the Cathar suddenly frowned. "Which reminds me: That 'Alliance' of yours may be your show to run, but these people here, Havoc, are my responsibility until Meteor returns. We clear?"

"We are. You're a good man, Aric", Raven conceded. Perhaps it was the worry for his soldiers that was so evident in his words, but the Sith felt a sudden kinship of a sort with the stern, serious sniper. "You'd take the whole galaxy's troubles on your shoulders if you could. I admire that."

"Just doing the job I signed up for."

The inquisitor would be the first to admit that she wasn't the most adept person at reading Cathar body language, but the major seemed pleased. Or relieved, more likely. Humming in acknowledgement, Aric stood up, but hesitated to go actually back to the camp.

"You saved a lot of lives today", he added, while a small fraction of his perpetual scowl disappeared into the night. "See you at oh-eight-hundred, if you don't mind grabbing a ration on the run for breakfast. Your Force is unlikely to need as much prep time as our equipment."

* * *

 _Zakuul, Knight Outpost, 5 AEA_

"Look out!"

Raven threw her lightsaber just in time to distract the Zakuulan battle droid from turning Aric Jorgan into a spectacularly furry wall hanging, hurried out of the way just to nearly meet an untimely end at the claws of an astoundingly bloodthirsty-looking second droid, and had just enough time to evade the explosion as the major turned the most certainly overpriced piece of Zakuulan technology into cheap scrap metal.

"Thanks!"

"Not yet, behind you!"

Wheezing, the inquisitor managed to collect enough Force energy for a nice crackling bolt of pure lightning. The energy hit the droid directly into a more vulnerable spot on its lower surface, and the resulting explosions were music to Raven's ears. Her nose might complain about the stench of burnt circuitry, but she could live with a little discomfort.

"And everything had started out so well", she panted, and joined Jorgan in a semi-organized retreat. The mission had really looked nice and simple in theory. The Zakuulan outpost was a perfect target, the Alliance forces who distracted most of the troops were well-organized, and their mission objective was clear as Corellian crystal. They only had to plant a wiretap on the planetary transmitter within the Zakuul outpost, evade the Zakuul Knights, and then tap into the newly acquired source of information to choose high-value targets along the Spire at their leisure. Even the Zakuulan refugees had come around, sort of, and their leader was advising Havoc Squad and sharing his immense knowledge about their surroundings and Zakuul in general. The majority of the Knights had indeed left the outpost, Havoc Squad had guarded their rear when Raven and Aric Jorgan had closed in on their target, and the force fields in their way had been easy to shut down.

And then, just when they were about to get comfortable, their enemies had somehow got wind of their activities, and had rushed back in force. It wasn't only the huge elite droids plus some company that the sniper and the inquisitor had just defeated, but also a huge contingent of Skytroopers that had the remaining members of Havoc running for their respective lives.

Blast it all.

Raven shot some sparks of Force energy as cover fire, while she and her companion joined the rest of the squad in their temporary shelter upon some sort of bridge. Unfortunately, the fast number of troopers in front of them was only half of their problem; three Zakuulan transporters full of further surprises were slowly descending on the other side of their highly unsafe place of refuge.

Calculating their odds, the young Sith finally gritted her teeth. She was perfectly able to shoot one or perhaps even two of those transporters out of the sky with the help of the Force, but doing so would leave her open and vulnerable for the droids behind them. The amount of Force that she could channel in a certain time frame was limited, after all. Cutting a path through the armada at their rear was also possible without question, but would leave her equally open to a retaliation from the newcomers. Defending this position was possible for some minutes at best, and Lana, Theron and the others were too far away to reach their position in time. Even Lea, with her ability to phase through the thickest of undergrowths if she pleased, wouldn't be able to make it.

And still… Raven wasn't afraid, and felt sort of bad because it. There was no point in being afraid for herself, because she was lucidly aware that she was in no real mortal danger. Through the Force she could sense no foreign presence around them, which meant that the Knights of Zakuul were still far away. Their droids were deadly in their endless ranks and blind determination to eliminate all enemies of Zakuul, but at the same time they were easily evaded with a quick phasing step to the side in combination with a protective hiding Force Cloak.

The young Sith knew her limits, though. While perfectly able to save herself, she wouldn't be able to perform that trick more than once in the time that they had, and while she was confident that she'd have a good chance to take Aric Jorgan with her, a manoeuvre like that would leave the other members of Havoc to their certain deaths. Not that this was a change from what they faced now.

Turning towards the Republic officer, Raven wasn't surprised to see nothing but steely determination on the Cathar's face. He knew enough to accurately guess what she was capable of now, as he had seen plenty of it during the battles in the swamps.

"Can that garbage!" he ordered, readied his rifle, and shot her a short glance. "I will stay with my men, no matter what", Aric murmured quietly towards the inquisitor. "You… you do what you have to. Just make sure that Arcann pays for this."

Squinting her eyes, Raven tilted her head. "I'll not desert you now", she hissed back. That she'd not stay to die once the Skytroopers had taken down the others went unsaid. Camouflaging her movements with the Force, the young Sith took aim, and threw an arc of Force Lightning towards one of the landing transporters. Sparks of energy dazzled, machinery howled, and the ship crashed to the ground with a thud that was magnified ten-fold by Raven's raging headache – an attack like that more than overstretched her connection to the Force for some seconds. But then she noticed that not only the first ship was down, but also the second, and the third one was exploding in thin air just as she managed to focus her eyes.

"Hurry!"

Half running, half being dragged along by the Cathar by her side, Raven didn't bother to ask for an explanation as long as the events were playing out in their favour. Mere seconds after they'd cleared the bridge, explosives rained onto the approaching droid army, and just like that, they were safe.

Fully ready to give a medal to all the Alliance troops that had rescued them, the young Sith was surprised to see a group of Zakuulan refugees, or, well, Zakuulan rebels instead. Now they had truly earned that designation, the inquisitor mused, and watched from the sideline as Major Jorgan thanked their leader, who was the same man who had advised them earlier, for their timely help. It was heart-warming, on the one hand; a group of brave outcasts who found the will to fight in their souls, willing to stand for themselves and for what they believed in, ready to stand up and challenge their oppressors… And yet, they were so few. Their equipment was so limited. And even with the success right here and right now, Arcann wouldn't even take notice of them, and whatever Knights who'd find themselves tasked with destroying this little swamp rebellion would likely just laugh at their so-called resistance, before blasting them all from orbit if necessary.

Would that also be their own Alliance's fate? Granted, they had more resources at their disposal, but in comparison to the full fearful might of the Eternal Fleet, they might as well be fighting with sticks and stones against a battle cruiser.

* * *

 _Zakuul, Havoc Camp, 5 AEA_

Back at the camp, Raven still needed some time to shake off the gloom that had infected her. Theron's presence significantly improved her mood, though, and the fact that nobody had really gotten hurt did wonders to ease her tension as well. Lea was joking around with Talos, who had apparently joined the attack on Zakuul together with the others, and according to Lana's data, their plan had worked for now, as far as the wiretap was concerned. Better still, some unexpected allies were always a plus, even if they wouldn't be able to truly fight back against Arcann's troops for the foreseeable future.

"We knew this war wouldn't be easy, but we've made progress", Theron commented next to her, and Raven grasped his hand in acknowledgement and comfort. Aric Jorgan, who still seemed to be exhilarated from battle ardour and their unexpected escape, was almost looking happy. Almost.

"Nobody else has made it this far, I'll give us that", the sniper conceded. "And it's an even bigger victory for the Zakuulan rebels. Arcann is seeding his own defeat in these swamps. Every defiant soul the new Emperor drives out here will become a weapon against him." He looked around, a certain amount of pride visible in his posture. "I want to embed Havoc with the rebels. Train them to be a proper fighting force. Build an army right under Arcann's nose."

There was a question mark hidden in the sentence, and Raven belatedly realized that their mission was all but over, and that no member of Havoc Squad had left to return to their own tasks – whatever those might have been. Instead, everybody was watching her, as if her agreement was required to take action. As if they had, without openly stating it, already agreed to join her cause.

And it was hope that was visible on all their faces. On those of the rebels. On those of the Republic squad. In Theron's warm eyes. Even Aric Jorgan's slight frown seemed to be hopeful. It was the same hope that made her get up every morning, the same hope that kept the people on Odessen from succumbing to despair and defeat.

"Whip them into shape, I'll work on getting them equipment", Raven proclaimed, and tried to draw upon the high spirits around her to bolster her own. They still had a long way to go, but surely every little step had to help and count for something.

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, War Room, 5 AEA_

Their escape from Zakuul's swamps and subsequent voyage home to Odessen was blessedly uneventful. Raven used the chance to sleep for most of the time, which earned her a raised eyebrow from Aric Jorgan. The major had meant to discuss their new partnership between Havoc Squad and the Alliance, and joined them on their journey back to their main base to check possible supplies for the rebels, but the inquisitor was in dire need of some peace and quiet.

"Is this a Force thing related to overuse and exhaustion or something, or are Sith just that sleepy when not shooting lightning?" the Cathar finally asked, as he turned towards Theron and Lana instead. Raven had made it pretty clear that he'd get nothing but snoring out of her, which was likely unhelpful when trying to find information on his new allies.

"Careful there, Major", Theron just commented light-heartedly. "You don't want to cross our resident Dark Lord of the Sith while on the epic quest to find a soft pillow, and besides, you did wake her at oh-eight-hundred this morning. Sith are very sensible…"

Raven simply threw Theron's own pillow towards the agent to shut him up, and then closed the door to their quarters. Luckily, the reinforcements from the Alliance had just brought her trusted Fury starship, outfitted with enough of Oggurobb's inspirations to hide them from Zakuulan sensors, so her chances to actually get some quiet time for herself were actually quite good for once.

* * *

"Interesting group you've got here. It takes all kinds, I guess."

Raven followed Aric's glance around, and tried to see the Alliance's command crew from an outsider's point of view. Ex-SIS agent, former Sith Intelligence Lord, creepily-powerful not-a-droid-mechanical-being, former Zakuulan Knight, slightly crazy Jedi Master, rouge pirate, rouge Padawan-Sith mix, suspicious anarchist, beaming archaeologist, and an assortment of unlikely specialists and other soldiers… plus about fifteen orobirds, five of them newly hatched since they'd left Odessen earlier. Apparently, her three pets from before the war against Zakuul had finally decided that the Force-balanced refuge world was an excellent place to populate, and that the respective other qualified orobird or orobirds of the trio weren't bad company at all. Raven was grateful for Lana's efforts to save her pets during her long absence, but hoped that the huge colourful menaces would stop laying eggs before she would have to enforce an omelette diet for half of the base.

Oh, right. She should probably say something. "We share a common enemy and desire, that's enough", Raven answered absent-mindedly, and suddenly had an inspiration. "By the way, what about possible mounts for the Zakuulan rebels? I've made very good experiences with those birds you saw earlier; they are loyal once tamed, eat basically everything, are fully able to dismantle a droid or two on their own, can simply be protected with a standard shield generator, and easily flourish on all temperate worlds – I originally got mine from Quesh, Corellia, and Rishi."

The frown was back on Major Jorgan's face. Raven guessed that meant 'no'. Pity.

"We'll… see about that", the Cathar deflected, just in time to somehow trigger a wave of teasing and bickering among the group that was completely unrelated to anything the two of them had just said, but left Lea incapacitated with laughing tears, SCORPIO fuming, Senya shaking her head in disbelief, and all the others in various shades of amusement. While Raven was happy that the consular had apparently gotten over her fears as well as her hero worship regarding the Havoc soldier, the Sith wouldn't have said no to a little more… restraint.

To his credit, Aric Jorgan managed to keep a straight face throughout all the insanity that was the new normal on Odessen, and finally they managed some form of strategic discussion. Despite SCORPIO's thinly-veiled criticism, which triggered yet another wave of shouting and name-calling, most of the present Alliance members agreed that getting some amount of equipment to the rebels on Zakuul would be beneficial to all of them, and that sending Havoc to train them would be a good idea as well. A short message from none other than Meteor herself had reached them earlier as well; the colonel was on her way to Odessen after simply hacking some Republic systems, all but 'abducting' the very willing two missing members of Havoc Squad, and escaping with Captain Dorne and the assault droid M1-4X on their BT-7 Thunderclap assault craft before former Chancellor Saresh or the new puppet Chancellor could stop them. None of them had been keen to find out what the leaders of the Republic might do to their former poster soldiers once word of the de-facto defection of the rest of the unit got out. After getting acquainted with the team on Odessen, those Havoc Squad members would return with Major Jorgan to Zakuul. Raven wasn't really sure why there was another captain on the squad when there was already a colonel and major in the group, or why Dorne had actually been a part of none other than Jace Malcolm's staff instead of being with her unit, but she suspected that there was a longer story there, and did not want to pry. Or perhaps the Republic's military was simply organized this way. Well, as long as all Havoc members were happy with this new alliance between their groups, Raven couldn't care less about formal ranks or potentially classified information without strategic value to their current situation.

* * *

 _Odessen, Alliance Base, 6 AEA_

Raven wasn't sure how many days or weeks had passed since Havoc Squad had started their mission on Zakuul, and was too lazy to check, but the short reports indicated that the training of the Zakuulan rebels went well. The same could also be said about the Alliance's other operations, for once. New recruits were joining them, with the Gand that Doctor Oggurobb had once mentioned among them. It turned out that he was also a former member of Havoc Squad, and with the rest of the unit already committed to fighting alongside the Alliance, it didn't take much to convince Yuun as well. Additionally, a whole legion of Trandoshan mercenaries arrived on Odessen one day, with Lea's old friend Qyzen as their leader. Overjoyed to have found his Herald of the Scorekeeper again, he promised his people's help in fighting their enemies alongside his Herald's helping hunters. Raven counted that as a big win, and their military commander Bey'wan Aygo agreed wholeheartedly. Some time later, Theron found traces of yet another old companion of the Barsen'thor, and Lea went almost berserk discovering that her old friend Felix Iresso had been captured by Zakuulan forces five years ago, and had been tortured ever since for the information stored inside his head, while the Republic had effectively abandoned him. Raven joined her sister's rescue mission, together with the Trandoshan leader, Talos, Theron, Lana, and Senya. Even Kaliyo tagged along, proclaiming that she needed to shoot something after almost getting soft from the sheer amount of friendship and companionship that Odessen radiated. With so much firepower, it was almost too easy to break into the remote Zakuulan colony prison, and free the former lieutenant. Raven wasn't so sure that recruiting him to fight for the Alliance at once was a good idea, though. Concerned for his mental health after the ordeal that he had gone through, she asked Sana-Rae for help. With Lea's support, and the Voss Mystic's counsel, the young Sith hoped that he would get the chance to heal.

More contacts were made with the more sympathetic ears in both the Republic and Sith Empire, and Arcann didn't send his warships to attack more targets. Even the ghost of the former Emperor was silent. The young Sith allowed herself a deep breath, sure that neither of these enjoyable trends would last forever, and joined Talos in the cantina. The commander greeted her enthusiastically, and before Raven knew it, she was ignoring her meal completely and instead trying to help her companion decipher some obscure form of Jedi cipher he'd found on some old stone plates.

"Those might be the key to understanding the Forgotten Scrolls of House Bindis on Alderaan", Talos smiled, and seemed to take it for granted that everybody knew about this noble house, or why their scrolls were both forgotten and important. Unfortunately, either of those points completely eluded the young Sith.

"Oh, don't worry, I still have enough time for our main research questions", Talos explained, misinterpreting her helpless shrug for criticism. "This is just a short side project that Master Kell expressed some interest in. Imagine what those long-forgotten Jedi Masters might have left us…"

"The quest for knowledge is both honourable and eternal", the Sith Inquisitor agreed, and finally decided to leave this noble endeavour to the expert. Luckily, a hint of Force energy was sufficient to heat her plate again.

* * *

"I acquire your attention. Do not tarry."

Grumbling, Raven extracted herself from the nest of datapads she was currently sitting in. With some amount of actual free time on her hands, she had started to search for her missing former apprentice Xalek in earnest now. In parallel, she was also keeping her eyes open for any trace of the vanished Grand Master of the Jedi Order, and the probably non-existing hypothetical dark-sided ally, whose potential help might explain both the Force Storm eruption back on Asylum, and the not-quite-a-vision Force pictures that had warned her about Talos Drellik and his Massassi problems.

Aric Jorgan had called SCORPIO a 'pushy droid'. The young Sith was completely with him on that sentiment.

* * *

"Good. You're here."

Raven smiled at Theron's greeting, but that expression turned into a frown pretty quickly when SCORPIO mocked the agent, and was thrown into the next wall by a not amused consular just seconds later. That in turn provoked Lana to lecture them about responsibility and mature behaviour, which meant that everybody who was not directly involved fled the War Room rather quickly.

When order had finally been restored, SCORPIO decided to be cooperative and showed them a stream of data sent by Havoc Squad from Zakuul.

"Hidden inside a mundane signal, I discovered encrypted transmissions, code-named the 'GEMINI Frequency'. They are broadcast from the throne to every vessel in the Eternal Fleet. The Spire schematics provided by Kaliyo confirm this."

Every vessel in the whole fleet… That was big.

"It's how Arcann commands his warships", Theron confirmed. "This is the break we've been waiting for, a direct line to the enemy fleet."

Smiling, Raven looked at the signal, and saw… possibilities.

"Start a plan of attack", she ordered. "It's Arcann's turn be on the defensive."

* * *

Author's Note: Apparently trying to imagine a character's reactions is easier once you don't consider the agent in question to be a heartless traitor. Who would have thought...


End file.
